Texas Senate passes SB2, letting families use tax dollars for private schools

AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- Texas families could use tax dollars to fund their children's private school tuition under a Republican-backed bill that passed through the Senate late Wednesday.

The video above is from a previous report.

The question is what amendments, if any, will be included in Senate Bill 2.

The debate began a little after 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, with the bill's sponsor, State Senator Brandon Creighton from Montgomery County, leading the discussion. Creighton also chairs the education committee.

"(For the) education savings account plan, funding comes out of the surplus," Creighton told ABC13. "It doesn't come out of public school funding, and it's very responsible in this large surplus that we have to use it in ways that just like we're working in ways to help taxpayers recover some of that money. We're also working in ways to help our most vulnerable students in the State have education opportunities and their parents to have options."

The funds will be distributed through a lottery weighted toward low-income or disabled people. Those attending accredited private schools would receive $10,000 or $11,500, and home-schooled students would receive $2,000 or $2,500.

Another education committee member, State Senator Royce West from Dallas, challenged the bill, saying it is rooted in segregation and does not offer enough accountability. He doesn't support it but wants to strengthen the language.

"It should be kids in disadvantaged, impoverished circumstances, in low-performing schools with disabilities should be prioritized that way," Senator West said ahead of the debate in an interview with ABC13. "We need to make certain. We also have in place some sort of accountability measures. You know, we're talking about giving taxpayer dollars to private concerns without any real accountability consistent with what public schools are required to do."

Despite being called a "voucher scam" by some Democrats, Creighton says SB2 is not a voucher bill.

"Education savings accounts offer a list of services like tutoring or behavioral therapy, speech therapy," Creighton said. "Uniforms can be covered, (and) transportation. There are many different opportunities within the ESA, including tuition."

The Senate has passed similar legislation before. Four times in 2023, the Senate approved some version of SB2, so this is almost a foregone conclusion.

However, as of late Wednesday afternoon, the Senate still debated the bill with members offering amendments to the original bill.

By Wednesday evening, the Senate passed the bill, which now heads to the House, where top officials say they have the support to create education savings accounts.

Gov. Greg Abbott has made school choice one of his seven emergency items for the 2025 legislative session, which enabled lawmakers to debate and vote on the bill before the 60-day filing deadline for all legislation.

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