Abbott believes he has the votes needed to pass a school choice bill in 2025.
DALLAS — Gov. Greg Abbott in November reaffirmed his commitment to school vouchers, policies that allow students to use public funds to attend private schools of their choice.
“We must provide the most effective career options for every child in our state,” Abbott said, emphasizing the importance of providing more educational options to Texas families.
Following the endorsement of his victory in November’s election, Mr. Abbott is confident he has the votes needed to pass school choice legislation in 2025.
But Abbott faces strong opposition from Democrats, including Mihaela Presa, who recently won the 70th District in Collin County.
“We beat Voucher five times,” Presa said. “We’ve shown him five times that this is what the people of Texas don’t want…and we’re going to show him again next session.”
Presa argues that the real solution to improving Texas schools lies in increasing student quotas, meaning increasing the funding districts receive per student. This allocation has remained stagnant at $6,160 per student since 2019, despite growing needs for public education and inflation.
Mr. Abbott disputed this, saying his plan supports both public education and school choice. “We’re going to have several funds, one for fully funded public schools and one for school choice,” he said in Tyler a few weeks ago.
With more than 5 million children receiving education in Texas, the introduction of school vouchers could significantly change the state’s education landscape. But critics are concerned about a lack of oversight in the system, which directs taxpayer funds to private institutions with less regulation.
“How do you create a system without checks and balances that takes taxpayer money and puts it into an unregulated industry?” Presa asked.
The debate is likely to intensify as the 2025 Congress approaches.
