AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas state senator has filed a bill that if approved would charge students who are undocumented tuition at a public school.
State Sen. Bob Hall authored Senate Bill 1205 on Feb. 10. The legislation seeks to not stop school districts from using public money, including tax and bond revenue, to pay for the education of a student who is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S.
Instead, Hall proposes that the student be charged tuition in an amount equal to be the district’s average cost of providing educational services to students of the same grade level. He also wants the school district to document the student’s immigration status in its records.
If the school district does not follow these policies, it would not be allowed to receive state education funding. The student has to submit documents proving their status as a resident.
The bill has not yet reached a Senate committee. If it were to become a law, SB 1205 would go into effect on Sept. 1, 2025.
Hall represents Kaufman, Navarro, Rockwall, and Van Zandt counties, and portions of Collin, Dallas, and Ellis counties.