OAN Staff Abril Elfi
4:36 PM – Monday, May 5, 2025
Texas GOP Governor Greg Abbott has signed a bill that is set to allocate $1 billion for a voucher program that allows parents to use public funds to pay for their children’s private school tuition.
Advertisement
On Saturday, Abbott (R-Texas) signed the school choice bill into law, saying “gone are the days that families are limited to only the schools assigned by the government.”
“Governor Greg Abbott today signed Senate Bill 2, the landmark school choice program that is the largest day-one launch in the country, into law at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin. Hundreds of Texas parents, students, educators, and school choice advocates from across the state joined to celebrate this historic moment as Governor Abbott signed school choice into law to empower Texas families to choose the education pathway that is best for their child,” his office stated.
The program’s introduction culminates a years-long push by a number of Republican leaders who advocate for school choice.
Before a pivotal vote on the bill last month, President Trump urged state lawmakers to bring it to Abbott’s desk. On April 24th, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 2 on a party-line vote of 19-12, following an 86-63 vote in the state House the previous week.
“When I ran for reelection in 2022, I promised school choice for the families of Texas,” Abbott said before signing the bill at the governor’s mansion. “Today, we deliver on that promise.”
“From here forward, [Texas students] will have unlimited potential and unlimited options in education to pursue for the rest of their path and education and what their families do best, and that in of itself was worth the journey,” bill author and state Sen. Brandon Creighton said.
The Lone Star State now joins more than 30 other U.S. states that already have similar programs.
Starting next school year, families can receive $10,000 per year to help pay for their child’s private school tuition, or to use it toward costs for home-schooling and virtual learning programs. Home-schooling parents are eligible for a $2,000 annual stipend. Additionally, families with children with disabilities can qualify for as much as $30,000 per year.
The program will be capped at $1 billion for the first year, covering up to 90,000 students. However, by 2030, it could cost up to $4.5 billion per year.
“With $1 billion in funding for the 2026-2027 school year, the program will be the largest day-one launch in the country,” the press briefing concludes.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Advertisements below
