A private school voucher program was approved on April 22 by Texas legislators for the upcoming school year.
Senate Bill 2, also known as the Texas Education Freedom Act, was voted in favor by the state’s Senate and will be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk to be signed into law for the 2026-2027 school year. Abbott has already said that he would sign the bill, which would put $1 billion taxpayer dollars in education savings accounts that any family can use to pay for private school tuition and other school-related expenses like transportation, textbooks and therapy.
Under SB 2, families participating in the voucher program would receive 85% of the funding that public schools receive for each student, an amount that falls between $10,300 and $10,900 according to a budget analysis conducted by the House’s Legislative Budget Board. Families with students in alternative programs, like tutoring or homeschooling, would receive roughly $2,000 a year, and students with disabilities could receive an additional $30,000 annually.
The program has received criticism, however, with some questioning whether it would benefit low-income families or just funnel taxpayers’ money to wealthy families whose children already attend private schools.
“I think maybe there’s a misconception that if a student is awarded this voucher, they’re gonna be able to pick which school they get to go to,” said David Jones, head principal of Plano East Senior High School. “They can apply, but it doesn’t mean they’re admitted.”
While the bill provides funding for students of low-income families to attend private schools, it does not set any guidelines on the admissions processes of the schools themselves, primarily because they are not state- or federally funded. Dara Eason, coordinator of student engagement at Dallas College Richland Campus, shared her opinion on allocating government funds for private institutions, particularly when they do not follow state or federal regulations.
“I believe that vouchers tend to limit the accessibility for students with any sort of issues on the fringe, like anyone on accessibilities or who might need an IEP plan or whatever it is,” said Eason. “Public schools have no choice, but private schools don’t have to admit those students.”
Additionally, education savings accounts are available for any American citizen eligible to enroll in a school, regardless of family income or financial need. Critics of the program fear that funds for public education will be in jeopardy and have no direct benefit for students from low-income families.
Eason said, “I don’t think it’s very helpful. People who wanted to do private schools were already doing that, and they were already paying for it, so you’re not really helping the general public in that manner.”
“I’m a big believer in our academics,” said Jones. “We have very high standards here and a lot of extracurriculars, and I think that’s why a lot of kids love coming to schools. We are preparing kids for different pathways, and I feel like we have anything you would want offered here.”
