Austin, Texas (AP) – Texas implements Billion Dollar School Voucher One of the nation’s largest programs, the program concludes a long-standing effort by Republicans using public dollars to fund private school tuition under the government of Greg Abbott, a bill signed on Saturday.
School vouchers have long targeted states where past efforts have succumbed to resistance from Democrats and rural Republicans for decades. last month President Donald Trump He was called a lawmaker before the important vote needed to get the bill at Abbott’s desk.
Texas Participating in over 30 other states They implement similar programs, of which around 12 have launched or expanded the program in recent years, qualifying most students.
The school voucher was Abbott’s main focus this year, leading a campaign to depart from the 2024 election cycle and to drive away GOP lawmakers who voted against a similar bill in his final session.
Republican lawmakers and bill supporters say it gives parents more options by separating their children from poor public schools.
“There’s no longer a time when families are limited to schools assigned by the government,” Abbott said before signing the bill at the governor’s mansion. “The day has arrived so parents can choose the best school for their children.”
Rural Democrats and Republicans have criticised the program, saying it will drain funds from more than 5 million public school students in Texas and subsidize private education for wealthy families.
Starting from the next grade, Texas families will receive $10,000 a year to pay students’ private school tuition fees. Children with disabilities can qualify for $30,000 a year. The program will reach $1 billion in its first year, covering up to 90,000 students, but could cost up to $4.5 billion a year by 2030.
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Lathan is a legion of the Associated Press/America Statehouse News Initiative report. American Report It is a non-profit, national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms and reports on secret issues.
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