Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed the most transformative such law ever. It frees more than 5 million students to spend state funds on private school tuition. This legislation is a historic victory for the conservative movement to radically change the public education system in states across America. This new law now creates opportunities for all 5.3 million children enrolled in Texas elementary and high schools. Now, they can receive vouchers – a scale unprecedented by any other state.
The Texas state legislature has set aside $1 billion in state funding for the first two years of the program. This money would give parents vouchers up to $10,000 a year to spend on private education beginning in the 2026-27 school year. This legislation marks a major leap in investment in school choice, a long-championed cause by many of these same conservative legislators.
The law also requires that students who attend private schools on one of these vouchers take a nationally recognized standardized test. Moreover, any school that accepts voucher students will be audited on an annual basis. The legislation includes a number of narrow restrictions on voucher funding eligibility. It guarantees that families making 500% of the federal poverty line (approximately $160,000 for a family of four) or less than that can receive no more than 20% of the money available.
Advocates for the law have begun to raise alarm over its unintended consequences on public education dollars. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, highlighted that the new program threatens to “slash funding to the neediest students,” while pointing out that it could funnel “billions of dollars to private schools that can pick and choose who they educate.”
Jon Valant, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, expressed concerns about potential disparities, stating, “That could mean we end up with a terribly stratified school system where those who can afford to pay the difference are in a wealthy private system, while the public school system is left to crumble.”
The financial impact of this law is enormous, especially for our public schools. Our education funding in Texas is based on how many students we have. As more students switch to private schools due to vouchers, public schools would face catastrophic revenue loss.
Just last year, Greg Abbott declared that the fight for school choice was his “calling.” Last year’s primaries filled the sails of him and his pro-voucher Republicans when they successfully ousted 15 sitting Republican House incumbents on his behalf. His efforts led to this significant legislation, which he called a historic day.
Abbott announced that today is the crest of a dynamic movement. This grassroots movement has built strong momentum across our state and the whole country. He underscored the significance of the law. “Today is the parents’ day to decide which school is best for their child,” said Del.
Former President Donald Trump played a critical role in supporting this bill, consistently urging Texas legislators to pass it. Universal school choice programs have become the default position in states with Republican supermajorities. That makes Texas the 16th state to guarantee at least some students access to public dollars to be used for private, unaccountable education.
Supporters argue that this legislation empowers families to select educational environments that align with their values and meet their children’s needs. Reformers like Lindsey Burke and Jason Bedrick have lauded the law as a greatly broadening menu of choices now on the table for parents.
Texas is on the cusp of a new era of educational opportunity. The possible effects on public schooling systems have been the focus of much debate. Critics point to a brewing crisis in public education funding and quality as money is drained from traditional schools.