The Texas Senate voted on Thursday to send legislation creating a statewide private school voucher program to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk to be signed into law, all but concluding an ugly intraparty battle that has dominated state politics for much of the last two years.
Abbott has already said that he plans to sign Senate Bill 2, a $1 billion proposal allowing families to use taxpayer dollars to fund their children’s private school education. Similar legislation has historically run into opposition from Democrats and rural Republicans. But that changed last week, when the Texas House gave its stamp of approval to SB 2, a vote that included support from Republicans who opposed similar legislation in 2023.
Upon Abbott’s signature, the program will officially launch at the start of the 2026-27 school year.
SB 2 would initially put $1 billion over a two-year period in taxpayer dollars toward education savings accounts that families could use for private school tuition and other school-related expenses, like textbooks, transportation and therapy. Notably, it reserves one in five seats for families that earn 500% or more of the poverty rate, which would be $160,000 or more for a family of four.
“Passing this bill sends a message to all of Texas; it tells the next generation of Texas leaders: Your path should fit your purpose, your path should fit what’s best for you and your family, and your ambition will always be greater than any system or any institution,” Sen. Brandon Creighton, the Conroe Republican education committee chair who sponsored the legislation, said during closing remarks Thursday.
Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas’ breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin. Get tickets before May 1 and save big! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.