Watch CBS News

Gov. Abbott says he remains "very confident" school choice will pass this year

GOP-majority Texas Senate expected to pass school choice bill
GOP-majority Texas Senate expected to pass school choice bill 03:08

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott said he's optimistic his plan to spend tax dollars to send some students to private school will make it through the Texas Legislature this year. 

On Wednesday, the Senate is widely expected to pass its version of a school choice bill, SB 2. Last week, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick told CBS News Texas that it will be sent to the House "like a rocket ship." 

The lead Republican in the House on education is Representative Brad Buckley, R-Salado. He said Tuesday the House will file its own school choice bill to consider. 

After declaring school choice an emergency item during his State of the State address, Abbott insisted in an interview with CBS News Texas that opponents are wrong when they predict public schools in Texas will suffer. He pointed to the fact that 33 other states have school choice. 

"None of those 33 states has decimated the public school system," said Abbott. "It will not decimate the public school system in the State of Texas either."

Democratic State Representative James Talarico, a former teacher, has been a vocal critic of the Governor's school choice program. 

"Voucher scams are not school choice," Talarico said.

Under the proposed Senate Bill 2, the state would spend $1 billion in tax dollars to send students to private schools. Each student would receive $2,000 per year, but up to $10,000 if they're enrolled at an accredited private school. Students with disabilities would receive $11,500 per year. 

"If you gave my former students on the west side of San Antonio a $10,000 voucher, there's still no way they can afford a $ 20,000-a-year tuition bill," Talarico said. "But the wealthy parent that is sending their kid to a $ 20,000-a-year private school is about to get a $10,000 discount, a $10,000 coupon at our expense."

Senate Republicans say while it's open to all students, low-income and disabled students will be given preference. 

The House rejected similar legislation two years ago, but this year, there's a new Speaker who controls when a bill gets to the floor: Republican Dustin Burrows of Lubbock. 

When asked how confident he is that school choice will pass in the House and how much pressure he has placed on Speaker Burrows to get legislation across the finish line, the governor said he feels "very confident it's going to pass in the House." 

"Speaker Burrows, every time I've talked to him, he says school choice is going to pass," Abbott said. "I feel good about the Speaker's perspective. I have worked closely with Representative Brad Buckley who will lead the charge in the Texas House. He feels very confident about it." 

In response, Talarico said he's not so sure. 

"The governor has a habit of declaring victory prematurely. If you remember in 2023, a week before he lost the voucher fight on the floor, he said he was on the one-yard line," said Talarico. "I remember watching those comments and wondering whose one-yard line is he on?"

While Republicans and Democrats agree teachers should receive a pay raise, they still disagree over whether the state adequately funds public education. Some school districts have passed deficit budgets and have had to shut down some schools. 

"Our schools are closing at a rapid rate and it's all because Greg Abbott has not adequately funded our neighborhood schools," Talarico said. "When you adjust for inflation, per-student funding is at its lowest level in a decade."

However, the governor said that some school districts have lost students because parents have moved to other cities within the region. 

"Let's look at the Dallas area in particular," said Abbott. "You see parents, families moving out of, for example, the Dallas school district and moving to a suburb going all the way from the North Dallas County line to Frisco, out to Prosper to other locations. So, it actually has nothing to do with funding or school choice. As a result, the student population in those schools that these students are departing from, they don't have as much money coming in as they had in the past."

Democrats have pointed out that the state has not increased school districts' basic allotment funding since 2019. The Senate and House have proposed boosting funding for public schools by about $5 billion in the 2026-27 budget.

Watch Eye On Politics on CBS News Texas at 7:30 Sunday morning on air and streaming

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.