The Texas Senate opened debate on Senate Bill 2 on Wednesday. The bill represents Gov. Greg Abbott’s top legislative priority: establishing a school choice program in Texas.
SB 2 proposes using taxpayer funds to provide private school vouchers — or “education savings accounts” as they like to call them since “vouchers” don’t poll well — for private school tuition. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a staunch supporter, has pledged to propel the bill swiftly to the House, where similar efforts have previously failed.
The bill would create a $1 billion ESA fund, offering $10,000 per student for private school tuition. Special education students would receive $11,500, while homeschoolers would get $2,000 per student. If demand exceeds funding, $800 million would be prioritized for “low-income” families and special education students who previously attended public schools. The remaining $200 million would be open to students from all income levels, including those already in private schools.
SB 2 defines a “low-income household” as earning up to 500% of the federal poverty level. Under the 2025 guidelines, this means a single parent with one child earning less than $105,750 per year would qualify. For a family of four, the limit would be $160,750 per year. By comparison, Texas’s median household income is $76,292, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
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