by William Melhado, Brian Lopez, The Texas TribuneTexas House members with family and guests crowd the House Chamber at the Texas Capitol for the opening of the 88th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
For the first year, school districts would receive a minor increase in the basic allotment, raising it to $6,190. Parents participating in the voucher program would receive roughly $4,600 to spend on private schooling. In the second year, the allotment would increase by $310. Students with disabilities from low-income families would be prioritized in Buckley’s legislation, though no specific limits were imposed on how many students from each income bracket can participate in the program — unlike the Senate’s version.Last Thursday, the Senate approved a bill by Sen.
The House is home to more critics of education savings accounts. During the regular session, the Senate’s voucher bill — nearly identical to the version that passed the Senate on a largely party-line vote on Oct. 12 — died in the House, where Democrats and rural Republicans have historically opposed any form of vouchers.