The fates of Texas school funding and an unpopular voucher program are currently at a standstill in the Texas capital.
Currently, the Senate has House Bill 100, which it received from the lower chamber on Monday. It is the only active school finance bill at the moment, but it’s unlikely to proceed without a significant fight. At the heart of the squabble between Texas Republicans is whether a school voucher program will be implemented.
A bipartisan coalition in the House voted to prohibit funding for Governor Greg Abbott’s voucher program, called an Education Savings Account. It would allow Texans to use up to $8,000 of taxpayer money for private school tuition. While proponents say it will allow Texans to leave schools that are not a good fit (something they can already legally do), opponents point out that it will almost certainly drain the coffers of Texas public schools while funneling dollars to rich, religious campuses. Rural Republicans teamed with Democrats to stop the voucher system.
To view the full story, visit https://www.reformaustin.org/education/school-finance-bill-in-tense-standoff-at-capitol/