A comprehensive bill in the Texas House that would set up a limited school choice program with the potential for future expansion falls short of what Gov. Greg Abbott would like.
The proposal would increase funding for public schools and create hotly debated voucher-like programs that would allow families to use state funds for private schooling.
Rep. Brad Buckley, the Republican chairman of the House Public Education Committee, introduced limited education savings accounts (ESAs) for 25,000 students starting next school year in a bill introduced late Thursday. , with plans to double the size of the program. following year. The program's size limit will expire in 2027.
But Mr. Abbott has made school choice a top priority over the past year, consistently defending universal ESAs that all students would be eligible for. Programs like the vouchers are the only school-related item he included in his solicitation for the Legislature's third special session this year.
Mr. Abbott's press secretary, Andrew Mahallis, said in a statement that the governor had a “productive” conversation with House Speaker Dade Phelan on Friday morning.
“The Governor has informed the Speaker that the current version of the House School Choice Act is different from what the Governor's Office negotiated with the Speaker's elected House leadership,” Mahalelis said. “Chairman Phelan agreed to continue working with Governor Abbott on the school choice consensus principle until an agreement is reached.”
Abbott said he would not expand his special legislative call to include school funding until the ESA plan is approved.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's office did not respond to questions about whether he supports the House version as currently written. Hours after Buckley's bill was posted, Buckley shared social media posts on a variety of issues, saying, “The House needs to get to work.”
After the Senate passed its own school choice bill last week, Patrick said he would pass it again and again until the House passes it and sends it to Abbott's desk.
The Public Policy Foundation of Texas, a leading proponent of voucher-like proposals, also couldn't meet Mr. Buckley's high bill because of the original limits on education savings accounts.
“However, the Foundation believes that House Bill 1 needs to be improved by increasing the number of Texas families that can participate in the program and control of the program, specifically to respect and protect the religious freedom of Texas families.” We believe there is,” CEO Greg Sindelar said in a statement.
Public school advocates, on the other hand, argue that even though the bill offers sweeteners like higher salaries, one-time bonuses for staff, and incentives to boost quality teacher preparation and certification, immediately criticized the bill.
Texas Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina said in a statement Friday that additional funding for public schools “will soon be drained from the state budget and billions of taxpayer dollars, taxpayer-funded.” “It should not come at the expense of opening the door to vouchers,” he said. Paralyze public education. ”
ESAs represent 75% of the state's average per-pupil funding typically given to public schools.
Currently, the base allocation is $6,160 per student, with districts receiving additional weighted funding to address other needs, such as special education. That allocation will initially increase by $30 and then increase to $6,500.
The limited slots give priority to certain students, including those with disabilities, those living in poverty, and those from middle-class families.
Mr. Buckley's proposal still faces uncertainty in the House, where local Republican lawmakers have repeatedly joined with Democrats to defeat proposals like the vouchers.
The wide-ranging bill includes funding for school districts to pay future educators to train alongside teachers. Create grants to support students with autism. Expand virtual learning opportunities. and a library safety quota to help schools comply with new laws aimed at keeping sexually explicit materials out of campus libraries.
“There are no exceptions to transactions or acquisitions,” Shannon Holmes, executive director of the Texas Association of Professional Educators, said in a statement.
“This approach, where one or a few members put everything but the kitchen sink into a bill without broad input or scrutiny, is not a serious way to create good policy,” Holmes said. said.
Buckley's bill differs from the Senate proposal that has already passed the chamber. A proposal by Sen. Brandon Clayton (R-Conroe) would provide families with $8,000 to use toward their child's private school tuition and related expenses such as uniforms and textbooks.
The ESA would come from the state's general fund at $500 million. If more families request ESAs than the state can afford, certain students, such as those from low-income and middle-income families, will be selected based on a lottery.
Both the House and Senate bills would limit ESAs to $1,000 for home-educated children.
There are approximately 5.4 million public school children in Texas.
Dax Gonzalez of the Texas School Boards Association said the proposal is “a hodgepodge of several different bills” that include aspects of school policy unrelated to finances.
For example, the bill would create a grant program to help retired teachers return to the classroom. School districts that hire educators who already benefit from the Texas Teacher Retirement System must now pay hefty premiums, often in the thousands of dollars.
Mitigating those costs is a great idea, Gonzalez said, but it's not necessarily something that would be included in this bill. But he added that it is “unpopular” ESA programs like vouchers that are holding up much-needed additional funding for public education.
“I don’t think people understand where schools are financially,” Gonzalez said. “I wish I could deal with one and then deal with the other. But unfortunately I can't.”
Staff writers Marcela Rodriguez and Aaron Torres contributed to this story.
The DMN Education Lab deepens our coverage and conversations about pressing education issues that matter to the future of North Texas.
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