Trump watching Texas ‘closely’ as it considers passing school choice bill

As the nation’s second-largest state considers passing a much-anticipated universal school choice bill, President Donald Trump is letting members of the Texas House know he’s watching.

The $1 billion measure, which would provide education savings accounts for about 100,000 Texas students, passed the state Senate last week, but it is poised for a battle in the House, where it has previously faced defeat.

Trump praised Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in a post on Truth Social for passing “School Choice six times out of the Texas Senate, only to see it die in the Texas House every time, but he never quits.

“The Texas House must now pass School Choice to deliver a gigantic Victory for Texas students and parents. I will be watching them closely. I’ve made School Choice a priority of my Administration. We need School Choice passed in every State!”

The battle in the House was so difficult that after the bill’s defeat in 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott spent the next year successfully campaigning against 14 of the 21 Republicans that opposed the measure. Through retirements and primary losses, only seven of those Republicans are still in the Legislature this year.

Now House Republican leaders believe they have the votes to pass what would instantly become the nation’s largest school choice program. 

“I support empowering parents to decide the best educational option for their children, and I believe the votes are there in the House for a universal school choice program to pass this session,” Burrows said in an emailed statement Monday to the Dallas Morning News. “The House is prepared to lead on this issue and, importantly, on securing meaningful investments for public education and teacher pay raises.” 

Like Tennessee, which passed a universal choice measure in January, and states such as Arkansas before it, the Texas proposal includes boosting teacher pay and other provisions that have helped school choice pass over objections from teachers’ unions and Democrats. 

While Trump and Texans are hopeful about the chance to gain educational freedom, it is notable that the President’s message didn’t mention Abbott, instead lauding Patrick and Sen. Brandon Creighton, who “did fantastic work passing SB2,” the bill in question. 

Abbott like Trump is a Republican, and it was not immediately clear why the President didn’t mention him. The governor declared school choice a “must pass” item during his state of the state address this month and gave the legislature until early April to do so. His office did not respond Wednesday to a request from The Lion for comment. 

Either way, advocates are hopeful the Lone Star State will once again help set the tone for the nation by enacting a universal choice program.  

At least 10 other states are considering legislation this year to establish or expand their school choice programs.