Texas lawmakers on Thursday passed a $1 billion education bill that allows families to use public money to pay for private school tuition, a major victory for school voucher proponents nationwide that was cheered on by President Donald Trump.
Jacobe De Leon O Shea Ferguson is charged with the 2018 Iconic Village apartment fire in San Marcos that killed five people.Forecasting Fiesta: The latest weather pattern for the celebrations in San AntonioFormer Universal City police officer dies less than a week after losing carbon monoxide poisoning lawsuitSpring into savings for your home and lifestyle with these Insider DealsFILE - The Texas Capitol is viewed from its south side on Wednesday, Jan.
5, 2005, in Austin, Texas. Financially embattled hospital operator Steward Health Care filed for bankrupcy protection early Monday, May 6, 2024, morning in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. – Texas lawmakers on Thursday passed a $1 billion education bill that allows families to use public money to pay for private school tuition, a major victory for school voucher proponents nationwide that was cheered on by President Donald Trump. The measure won final approval from the state Senate and now heads to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who had muscled the GOP-majority Legislature to pass the bill and has vowed to quickly sign it into law.More than 30 states have implemented some sort of voucher program in the U.S., and about a dozen states in recent years have launched or expanded programs that make most students eligible. Texas’ version will be among the largest in the nation and is seen as a major victory for proponents who hope to push a similar effort on the federal level. “School choice has come to Texas,” said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican who controls the Senate who has pushed for a voucher program for nearly 20 years. For decades, the push in Texas had failed in the face of stiff resistance from Democrats and rural Republicans who called it a threat to public schools in a state that now has more than 5 million students in public classrooms. But supporters gradually gained ground and Abbott, a three-term governor, threw his political muscle behind it in the 2024 elections by backing numerous candidates who would support it. That effort built the majority support the issue needed after decades of failure. Trump played a key role in getting the measure through a critical state House vote a week ago, when he spoke with a group of Republican lawmakers on a speakerphone call and urged them to approve it. The program in its first year would be capped at $1 billion and used by up to 90,000 students, but it could grow to nearly $4.5 billion per year by 2030. The money can be used for private school tuition or costs for home-schooling and virtual learning programs. Families could get up to $10,000 each year per student under the program, and a student with disabilities would be eligible for as much as $30,000 per year. Supporters of the measure say the vouchers can help parents get their children out of poor-performing public schools and create competition that will force public schools to improve. “The one thing that is missing from our education process that has really made America great is competition,” said Republican state Sen. Bob Hall. Critics, however, argue it will weaken public schools by draining money and resources and giving them to private schools, who can have selective enrollment and may not operate under some of the same rules. And they argue it will put money in the pocket of wealthier families already sending their children to costly private schools. The bill is “not about ‘school choice,’” the Senate Democratic caucus said in a statement. “It’s about public subsidization of private schools’ choice. It’s a step backwards for Texas.” The issue is not settled among Republicans nationwide. On Monday, North Dakota’s Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong vetoed a private school voucher program in that state, saying the bill fell “far short of truly expanding choice as it only impacts one sector of our student population.”KSAT DEALSSpring into savings for your home and lifestyle with these Insider Deals
Texas Legislature School Vouchers
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Houston weather: Flood watch for Southeast Texas counties Thursday, FridayA Flood Watch goes into effect for Brazoria, Matagorda, Wharton, Jackson and Calhoun counties Thursday morning through Friday afternoon with storms expected to move across the Houston area.
Read more »
Arkansas vs Texas Tech Prediction, Picks & Odds for Thursday's March Madness Sweet 16 GameAction in the West Region heats up when No. 10 Arkansas faces No. 5 Texas Tech, and our Arkansas vs. Texas Tech predictions ride with the Red Raiders.
Read more »
Texas House set to vote on $337.4B state budget plan ThursdayThe legislation includes new money for teacher pay raises, property tax cuts, border security, medical research, a private school voucherlike program, and...
Read more »
Sunshine Thursday, storms Thursday night, a few could be severeMontgomery, Alabama
Read more »
Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum Responds to Donald Trump's Water DemandOn Thursday, President Donald Trump accused Mexico of stealing water from Texas.
Read more »
Texas House passes $1B private school voucher billThe Texas House made history early this morning when lawmakers approved a private school voucher program.
Read more »