Texas Legislature Passes Historic Education Reform, Voucher Program, and Ten Commandments Mandate

Education Reform and School Choice

• 🔑 School choice is now law in Texas, with a voucher program allowing public tax dollars to be used for private schools starting in 2026.
• 📚 New this fall, the Ten Commandments will be required in every classroom, and districts can offer daily time for prayer.
• 🚫 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and LGBTQ+ clubs have been banned in school districts.
• 📝 The STAR test was not eliminated, despite bipartisan support; instead, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) will adopt a new nationally norm-referenced assessment.

Budget and Other Key Legislation

• 💰 The $338 billion budget passed by the legislature includes increased teacher pay, decreased property taxes, and significant funding for water infrastructure.
• 🎲 The lottery was saved, but the lottery commission was abolished, with oversight transferred to the Department of Licensing and Regulation.
• ⚠️ THC was banned, a move described by the lieutenant governor as life-saving, though some veterans argue it puts their lives at risk.