Texas House Unveils School Choice Plan: Education Funding and More

A breakthrough in Texas education funding as the House introduces a bill with provisions for limited school choice. Rep. Brad Buckley’s proposal includes bonuses for school staff and education savings accounts, opening doors to new options for students.

In a significant development for Texas education, Rep. Brad Buckley, Chair of the Texas House public education committee, unveiled a bill that addresses both increased funding for public education and limited school choice.

The bill aims to allocate additional funds to Texas public education, introducing one-time bonuses for school staff and initiating education savings accounts (ESAs) on a restricted scale from the upcoming school year.

The ESAs, initially limited to 25,000, offer an opportunity for families to access education-related expenses, albeit at a lower cap rate than the Senate’s proposal. This proposal marks a substantial step towards expanding educational options in the state.

The impasse over education priorities appears to have eased as Rep. Buckley‘s bill embraces both school finance and limited school choice. However, Rep. Buckley emphasized that a meeting of his panel wouldn’t be called unless Governor Greg Abbott broadens the special session’s agenda to encompass school financing and teacher pay raises.