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The Texas Senate revealed a bill on Friday to create an education savings accounts program, a top priority for Gov. Greg Abbott and top lawmakers after a similar bill failed to pass last legislative session.
The bill, co-authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Republican from Conroe who chairs the Senate Education Committee, would provide families with $10,000 a year per student in taxpayer dollars to fund their children’s tuition at an accredited private school and additional expenses like textbooks, transportation and therapy. The legislation would provide $11,500 per student for children with disabilities. It also would provide at least $2,000 a year per student for home-schooling families who participate in the program.
“Texas families are rejecting the status quo and calling for an education system that prioritizes their children’s success. Senate Bill 2 places parents at the center of their child’s education, empowering them with the freedom to choose the educational path that works best for their families,” Creighton said in a statement.
Any child attending a public school or enrolled in a public school’s pre-K program could apply to the program. Gov. Greg Abbott, the state’s top school voucher advocate, has previously called for any voucher proposal to have universal eligibility. The bill would prioritize students in low-income households and children with disabilities if demand for the savings accounts exceeds the funding available.
Organizations helping administer the program would have to notify parents that private schools do not have to follow federal and state laws regarding special education that public schools must abide by, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.
The bill also has a provision to address potential misuse of funds. It directs the state to refer to local authorities any organizations or individuals helping administer the program or participating in it who use the funds in ways not allowed.
The Senate bill arrives during the same week that both the House and Senate released their budget priorities for the 2025 legislative session. Both chambers proposed setting aside $1 billion in the next two years to create education savings accounts — a $500 million increase from what lawmakers proposed for such a program during the 2023 legislative session.
Under Friday’s proposal, that would mean roughly up to 100,000 students who want to enroll into an accredited private school could participate in the program. Texas public schools currently enroll about 5.5 million children.
This is a developing story; check back for details.

Texas Senate’s voucher proposal would give families $10,000 to fund students’ private school By Jaden Edison Jan. 24, 2025

January 24, 2025 • My Project Name

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