Texas House poised to pass budget bill without school choice block

It’s budget night in the Texas House and school choice funds appear safe and sound.

Lawmakers are expected to stay up late Thursday night debating various amendments to the $337 billion, two-year spending plan, but none of the 400 proposed amendments would derail the proposed $1 billion school choice program, CBS Austin reports. 

Democrats and some Republicans passed such an amendment in 2023, the last time the state budget was decided, effectively blocking a separate school choice measure. 

Now, two years later, Texas appears ready to stand up the largest education savings account (ESA) program in the country, which would grant scholarships worth up to $10,000 to qualifying students in the Lone Star State.

The program would be limited to about 100,000 students annually, based on its budget, but would build toward universal access, similar to Florida, Arizona and 13 other states. Texas has more than 5 million public school students. 

The Senate approved its version of the school choice plan (SB 2) early in the legislative session, preparing the way for a final bill to reach Abbott’s desk once the House acts.

James Henson, Texas Politics Project director, told CBS he expects that final version to be “not too far from what we’ve seen circulating.”

If the House approves the appropriation bill tonight, the House and Senate will reconvene to work out the differences between their versions before it can be approved and sent to the governor.