Texas House plan for school vouchers deviates from Senate bill

The Texas House filed a bill last week that sets out a plan to allow parents to use state funds to pay for private school tuition. It differs from what the Senate passed earlier this month. Both Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows have said they want to pass the legislation, which is a priority for Gov. Greg Abbott, but it’s unclear which plan will prevail.

“House Bill 3 delivers what Texans have been asking for — a true universal school choice program,” Burrows said Friday when he announced the filing of the bill at the Texas Policy Summit. “We have the votes to get it done.”

The plans both would cost the state $1 billion, but deviate on how much each voucher will be worth and how students with disabilities will be prioritized.

How much money for education savings accounts?

The version the Senate passed sets aside $10,000 for each eligible student, and $11,500 for students with disabilities. Critics say an extra $1,500 isn’t enough to provide services to a student with disabilities. They say it’d be harder for families who can’t afford private school to take advantage of the program if they have a child with disabilities.

The House version includes up to $30,000 for children with disabilities, depending on a child’s needs.

Other eligible students would get 85% of the estimated statewide average amount of state and local funding per student. Using the most recent numbers from the Texas Education Agency, that would be $10,892.

While there’s a higher cap for kids with disabilities, University of Texas Professor David DeMatthews said he believes it still falls short of what it costs to serve some students.

“Thirty thousand dollars still isn’t a lot of money,” said DeMatthews, whose research focuses on equitable and inclusive school improvement.

“Certain special education services cost $80 or $90 per hour, and a full-time, self-contained program for a student with autism can cost districts $50,000 to $60,000 per year,” he said.

Which children would be eligible?

The Senate’s plan is for 80% of the spots to be filled by a lottery among students who previously attended public school and are either low-income or have a disability. The remaining 20% would be filled by an open lottery among all eligible applicants.

The House proposal instead creates a four-tiered system. Students would be prioritized in the following order:

1. Students with disabilities from families earning up to 500% of the federal poverty level (around $156,000 for a family of four).
2. Low-income families who earn up to 200% of the poverty level (approximately $62,400 for a family of four).
3. Families earning between 200% and 500% of the poverty level.
4. Families earning above 500% of the poverty level.

James Dickey is the executive director of Liberty For The Kids, an organization that advocates for school choice. He sees the House bill as a response to critics of the Senate measure.

“One of the criticisms leveled against SB 2 had been from people who wished it prioritized more kids who come from families who earn less,” Dickey said. “This absolutely does that.”

Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, criticized the new plan during a news conference, saying he’d like to see an income cap, “to prevent millionaires and billionaires” from having access to the program.

Which plan will make it to the governor’s desk?

The House bill has yet to be considered in committee. Voucher-like proposals died in the chamber in 2023, but the makeup of the House has since changed. If the House does pass its plan, members would have to go into a conference committee to hash out differences with the Senate.

At this point it’s unclear which plan could pass. Abbott met with the House author, Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, last week, although he hasn’t endorsed either plan. Instead, the governor has broadly emphasized that school choice is necessary in the state.

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