Texas House Committee Advances School Voucher Bill despite Opposition, Senate Fast-Tracks Similar Legislation

Legislation would establish a $10,500 per student education savings program prioritizing low-income families and those with disabilities; critics argue that it diverts funds from public education.

• The Texas House Select Committee on Educational Opportunity and Enrichment has advanced a controversial school voucher bill, known as House Bill 1, which allows parents to spend taxpayer dollars on private schooling. The bill was approved with a 10-4 vote, marking the furthest advancement of a voucher bill in recent history.
• House Bill 1 proposes an education savings account program that would allocate $10,500 annually per student for private school expenses, prioritizing low-income families and students with disabilities, but critics argue this diverts critical funds away from public education.
• The bill also includes provisions for increased state per-student spending from $6,160 to $6,700 and a rise in teacher pay. However, Democrats are skeptical about the bill's chances before the full House, with caucus Chair Trey Martinez Fischer describing the committee vote as merely a 'reflection of a desire for the entirety of the House to have a final up-or-down vote on the voucher piece of this bill.'
• A similar legislation, Senate Bill 1, has already been fast-tracked by the Senate. It proposes a similar education savings account program but offers less financial support per student, proposing $8,000 instead of the $10,500 proposed in House Bill 1.
• Although these voucher bills have made significant progress in the Senate and the niche committee in the House, their future remains uncertain as they face substantial opposition from both Democrats and a coalition of rural Republicans. Critics argue that such voucher programs could lead to underfunding and eventual closure of public schools.

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