Texas House gives initial OK to $1B school voucher proposal, rejects call for referendum
Proponents of a controversial school voucher program cheered early Thursday morning after the Texas House gave its initial approval to a proposal that had for years been roadblocked by the lower chamber.
The 85-63 vote opens the door to the program for the state’s 5.5 million school children and, due to Texas’ sheer size, has the potential to dramatically out-scale similar programs in states such as Florida and Arizona.
Former Speaker Dade Phelan of Beaumont, who in his four years as the House's leader didn't usher a voucher bill through the chamber, was joined by Rep. Gary VanDeaver of New Boston as the only Republicans to vote against Senate Bill 2, the $1 billion proposal that would give students roughly $10,500 in taxpayer money for private school tuition — or the amount they’re entitled to in public schools — and up to $30,000 for students receiving special education services.
Gov. Greg Abbott, who for years has pushed to pass a "school choice" bill in Texas, took a victory lap just seconds after the vote was tallied.
“For the first time in Texas history, our state has passed a universal school choice bill out of both chambers in the Texas Legislature,” the three-term Republican governor said in a news release. “This is an extraordinary victory for the thousands of parents who have advocated for more choices when it comes to the education of their children."
The prospect of diverting public money to help offset the cost of private K-12 education in Texas has been steeped in politics for decades. And as the debate opened Wednesday on the House's version of SB 2, the politics slammed head on into the personal, as Democratic Rep. James Talarico of Austin openly accused Abbott of threatening any GOP members who did not fall in line with derailing their legislative agendas and with potentially career-ending retribution.
“The last time I checked, we still had separation of powers in this state,” Talarico said. “The last time I checked, this was still the people's House, not the governor's House."
Abbott's office was adamant that Talarico's accusation was unfounded.
“This is absolutely not true," Abbott's spokesman Andrew Mahaleris told the American-Statesman in a text message. "Governor Abbott has been speaking with members encouraging them to vote for school choice."
Abbott in 2023 prioritized passing a school voucher program, and he has since thrown his political weight behind the issue, which has continued to hit roadblocks in the House until early Thursday.
'Another tool in the toolbox'
Members took their vote around 2 a.m. after hours of heated debate, which laid bare the deep divides over vouchers.
Rep. Brad Buckley, the Salado Republican who authored the House's version of SB 2, called it "another tool in the toolbox for parents."
However, Democratic members who opposed the bill said it would drain funding from cash-strapped public schools. Austin Democrat Rep. Gina Hinojosa said she felt "cursed by this bill," which will be "the interest of big money prevailing over the interests of Texans."
Abbott was active on social media as the House plowed through the dozens of doomed amendments by Democratic members as Buckley and the chamber's GOP leadership guided the landmark legislation over a hurdle that has flummoxed the party steadily since it won total control of state government more than two decades ago.
Among the proposed amendments that were sacked was a proposal by Talarico to bring school vouchers to a statewide referendum. The amendment failed 86-62, largely along party lines in the GOP-dominated chamber.
“The governor has said private school vouchers are wildly popular,” Talarico said. “If that were true, I would think this referendum would have no trouble passing."
A report published Tuesday by the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas found that 46% of survey respondents strongly or somewhat support a school voucher plan, or an education savings account program, while 34% strongly or somewhat opposed it.
A second Democratic proposal, which would have essentially gutted the voucher bill, also failed along party lines, sending a strong signal early Wednesday afternoon that the House was likely to pass the bill.
Talarico alleged that Abbott had been threatening Republican House members who voted to put the voucher proposal on a statewide ballot for Texans to decide.
Rep. Mitch Little, R-Lewisville, questioned Talarico’s accusations, insisting, “It certainly wasn't me.”
Throughout the House's voucher debate Wednesday, Abbott sought to blunt Democratic members' arguments that the measure puts at risk state money that would otherwise find its way to local public schools across Texas.
"Passing school choice does NOT mean Texas won't fully fund public education," he said on X in mid-debate. "School choice funding and public school funding come from separate pots. We won't take a single penny from our public schools to pay for school choice."
While a voucher proposal has easily passed the Texas Senate multiple times, it's continued to meet roadblocks from Democratic lawmakers and a bloc of House Republicans. In 2024, Abbott poured millions into GOP primary races to oust House members of his own party who opposed vouchers in 2023.
SB 2, which after its final passage expected later Thursday, will return to the Senate for that chamber to review the House's modifications.
'Let the people vote'
Ahead of the combative vote, teachers and public school supporters gathered outside the House chamber and in the Capitol rotunda to protest school vouchers.
They wore red to symbolize support of public education and carried signs that said, “Don’t mess with Texas public schools.”
They chanted, “Let the people vote; let the people vote,” calling on lawmakers to put the voucher program on the ballot for Texans to decide.
Christy Skinner, a former teacher from East Texas, came to the Capitol on Wednesday to join other educators and parents in opposing vouchers.
She taught school for 27 years, but retired when the stresses of the job became too much, partly because of inadequate pay for teachers, she said.
“We really need to bring the pay and benefits into the 21st century,” Skinner said.
She opposes school vouchers because she worried the program would divert funding that could otherwise go to public schools.
“You’re funneling money to a separate program,” Skinner said.
Trump nudges Republicans to support vouchers
The years of politicking and campaigning from lawmakers on both sides of the issue culminated Wednesday morning with a call to Texas House GOP Caucus members from President Donald Trump ahead of the vote on SB 2.
“It’s a big vote today and I hope you are able to vote in a positive manner,” Trump told members in a video Abbott posted on X.
State Rep. Tom Oliverson, who chairs the House Republican Caucus, said Trump told the caucus that the Legislature is about to enact what he hopes will be a model for the nation.
“That was pretty cool,” said Oliverson, R-Cypress. “I was not expecting that.”
This story has been updated with new information.