Texas House Approves School Voucher Bill, Advancing to Governor Abbott's Desk

Texas House Approves School Voucher Bill

• 🏛️ The Texas House has given initial approval to Senate Bill 2, a highly debated school voucher bill, in an 85 to 63 vote after 10 hours of debate.
• 🎯 This historic move brings the bill one step closer to Governor Greg Abbott's desk.

Voucher Program Details and Funding

• 💰 The bill allocates $1 billion in taxpayer funds for education vouchers, with $10,000 per student for private schooling.
• ⚠️ Students with disabilities could receive up to $1,500, and homeschoolers up to $2,000.
• 📈 An estimated 100,000 students could benefit, with priority given to students with disabilities and low-income families.
• 🏫 Private schools would not be required to follow state guidelines or admit students who don't meet their criteria.

Shift in Public School Funding Debate

• 📚 For years, the Republican-led Texas House has blocked voucher bills, advocating instead for more public school funding.
• ⚖️ This vote marks a historic shift in the lower chamber regarding voucher legislation.

Public School Funding Bill Advances

• 📊 Separately, House Bill Two, which proposes raising the base funding per student by $395, also received preliminary approval.
• 🧑‍🏫 This bill also aims to boost salaries for teachers with more than 10 years of experience and now heads to the Senate.