Senate Bill 2 would allow families that choose private education to public to open education savings accounts using taxpayer funds up to $10,000 annually per student. However, not everybody agrees.
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Texas Senate Republicans filed Senate Bill 2 on Friday which outlines their school voucher proposal.
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SB 2 would provide education savings accounts from taxpayer money for families who are interested in private education over public with up to $10,000 a year per student. Students with disabilities could get up to $11,500.
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The proposal would require $1.2 billion in new funding.
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The first round of public hearings on SB 2 is scheduled for next Tuesday.
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Texas Senate Republicans filed Senate Bill 2 on Friday which outlines their school voucher proposal.
-
SB 2 would provide education savings accounts from taxpayer money for families who are interested in private education over public with up to $10,000 a year per student. Students with disabilities could get up to $11,500.
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The proposal would require $1.2 billion in new funding.
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The first round of public hearings on SB 2 is scheduled for next Tuesday.
DALLAS—In a flagship bill just submitted to the Texas Legislature, Texas Senate Republicans announced their plan for school vouchers.
It proposes “education savings accounts,” a financial incentive to entice children to transfer from public to private schools, similar to earlier measures that were unsuccessful.
Although Democrats say they won’t go down without a fight, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is certain that school choice legislation will pass during the upcoming legislative session. Rudy Koski of FOX 7 discusses the battle ahead and if there is any possibility for compromise with State Representative James Talarico, D-Austin, a prominent opponent of vouchers.
Texas Senate Bill 2
We know:
The same week that lawmakers in Texas decided to allocate over $4.8 billion in additional funds for public education. Texas Senate Bill 2 is the beneficiary of $1.2 billion of that total.
Matthew Wilson, a professor of political science at SMU, stated that it would establish funds that parents could access to cover textbook costs and tuition at private institutions.
The proposed law would allow families who choose private education to public to open education savings accounts using taxpayer funds up to $10,000 annually per student.
Parents would have options that they wouldn’t have otherwise thanks to this. It enables parents to maybe educate their kids in a framework of religious values,” Wilson added. “It allows parents who are not happy with the quality of their children s public school, to have a competitive alternative.”
The Texas House and Senate also suggested allocating roughly $1 billion to finance the program, giving lower-income households and children with special needs priority.
“Students with disabilities would both have higher priority for participation in the program, and they would be eligible for a bit more funding,” Wilson stated. “They could get up to $11,500.”
The backstory
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has made the problem a high priority and has taken drastic political action after similar legislation failed to clear the House in the past.
Not only did Democrats reject vouchers, but Republicans in rural regions with little access to private schools also expressed reservations.
“Abbott was mainly successful in his efforts to remove members of his own party who had opposed him during the previous session on issues like school choice, educational savings accounts, or school vouchers. Wilson stated, “He defeated numerous anti-school choice Republican incumbents and replaced them with proponents of school choice.”
Highlighted
‘They shut the door on us’: Texas Supreme Court hears arguments in SMU split from church
After the board of trustees decided to quit the United Methodist Church in 2019 due to the church’s refusal to accept same-sex weddings and appoint clergy who are LGBTQ+, the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments on whether SMU may break away from the denomination.
What they’re saying:
Republicans now believe they have the votes to pass it this time, but they will not give up easily.
“The main claim made by those opposed to school choice is that it will deprive public schools of funding. And individuals should only concentrate on bolstering public schools if they truly desire high-quality education,” Wilson said.
Additionally, some contend that private schools lack the necessary resources to effectively educate pupils with impairments.
Next steps:
SB 2’s initial round of public hearings is set for next Tuesday.
The Origin:The text of Senate Bill 2, political analysis by SMU professor Matthew Wilson, and earlier FOX 4 coverage are the sources of the information in this article.
