AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Senate could take action on Senate Bill 2, which would establish education savings accounts, or what opponents call vouchers.
However, some are raising the alarm about the lasting financial impact the bill could have on Texas public schools.
The debate over the savings accounts comes days after Gov. Greg Abbott declared the topic an emergency item during his State of the State address, allowing lawmakers to fast-track the proposal. Families would receive at least $10,000 a year to help send their kids to private schools. The funds would be disbursed through state-managed education savings accounts.
However, the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) pushed back against the bill, stating it would become harder for public schools to be adequately funded and their teachers to be adequately paid.
According to TSTA, while Senate Bill 2 has an initial cost of about $1 billion, the bill is expected to balloon up to $6 billion by the 2028-29 budget period. The association claims those factors would add to the ongoing financial issues, causing more teachers to disappear from classrooms.
During his address, Abbott also stated teacher pay raises and expanding career training were emergency items, saying that teachers are a key pillar in making sure Texas students receive a top education.
“Texas taxpayers cannot afford two separate education systems, one public and one private,” TSTA president Ovidia Molina said. “They cannot afford to give tax subsidies to wealthy families with kids already in private school, many of whom will receive vouchers under this bill.”
They also cited how several other states with similar, existing programs increased funding for private schools while trimming how much was spent on public schools. A 2023 report by Public Funds Public Schools shows how states like Arizona, Florida, and Georgia, among others, increased spending on voucher programs by triple digits while cutting or freezing funding for public education.
The report also mentions how private schools are usually not subjected to the same regulatory standards as public schools, which could include standards for licensing of teachers and criminal background checks for employees. In Texas, school districts have already reported they’re hiring more first-time, uncertified teachers to help with critical staffing shortages.
If the Senate approves the legislation, the bill would move to the Texas House where similar legislation died in 2023. So far, the House has not filed its own education savings account proposal.