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Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the School Choice Bill on Saturday, allocating $1 billion to a voucher program that allows parents to use public funds to pay tuition fees for their children’s private schools.
The implementation of the program concludes a long-standing effort by Republicans advocating for school choices. Voucher supporters have long focused on Texas. In Texas, previous efforts have failed amid resistance from Democrats and rural Republicans.
Last month, President Donald Trump called on state lawmakers to ultimately send action to Abbott’s desk ahead of a key vote on the bill. The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 2 with Party-Line 19-12 on April 24 after state lawmakers approved the bill with 86-63 votes the previous week.
“When I ran for reelection in 2022, I promised a school choice for my Texas family,” Abbott said before signing the bill at the governor’s mansion. “Today we will fulfill that promise.”
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Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the School Choice Bill on Saturday. (Reuters/Calaghan O’Hare)
Abbott was joined by Lt. Col. Dan Patrick, state House Speaker Dustin Burrows, Bill author and state Sen. Brandon Clayton and John Cornyn, school choice advocates, students and their families.
“Before here, [Texas students] There are unlimited and potential, unlimited options to pursue their path and the rest of their education, and their families will do their best and in itself are worth the journey,” Clayton said.
Texas has already joined more than 30 other states with similar programs. Lone Star State will host the nation’s largest voucher program.
School vouchers have been Abbott’s main focus this year. Following last year’s election cycle, he asked major Republican voters to be excluded from Office GOP lawmakers who voted for similar legislation at the last legislative meeting supported by the governor.
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Lone Star State will host the nation’s largest voucher program. (Montinique Monroe/Getty Images)
Supporters of the bill say it offers parents more options.
“There’s no longer a time when families are limited to schools assigned by the government,” Abbott said. “The day has arrived so parents can choose the best school for their children.”
Rural Democrats and Republicans who criticized the program claim they would draw funding from Texas public school students and subsidize private education for wealthy families.
“Let’s be clear. This bill is only perfect for the richest people in the state, and rural Texas will especially get shafts,” Texas Democratic Chairman Kendall Scudder said in a statement. “Add to that, Abbott’s school shutdown is on a full swing and there’s no end in sight.”
Texas has already joined more than 30 other states with similar programs. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
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Starting from the next grade, families can help their children pay for private school tuition fees and homeschooling and virtual learning programs to receive $10,000 a year. Children with disabilities can qualify for $30,000 a year.
The program concludes with $1 billion in its first year and covers up to 90,000 students. However, by 2030 it could cost up to $4.5 billion a year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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