The highly anticipated Texas House Public Education Committee hearing on school choice legislation, originally scheduled for Tuesday morning, has been postponed. Instead, the hearing will now take place on Thursday, giving lawmakers more time to review key changes in the proposed bills.
Committee Chairman Brad Buckley (R-Salado) announced the delay, citing the need for committee members to fully digest the revisions made in the committee substitutes for House Bill (HB) 2 and Senate Bill (SB) 2. This postponement allows lawmakers to better understand the district runs, which detail how policy changes—especially funding allocations—impact different districts.
What’s at Stake? The School Choice Debate
At the center of the discussion is SB 2, the Senate’s universal school choice bill authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe). The bill proposes the use of education savings accounts (ESAs), a system allowing parents to allocate public funds toward private or alternative educational expenses for their children.
While SB 2 is described as a “fully universal” school choice program, meaning all Texas parents can apply, there are still funding limits. One key update in the committee substitute restricts ESA participation to students who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawfully admitted into the country.
Key Financial Details of SB 2
$1 billion is allocated for the ESA program.
The individual ESA amount will be tied to 85% of the statewide average per-student funding.
Additional funds are allocated for students with disabilities.
Homeschool students’ ESA funds are capped at $2,000 per student.
The revised version also tweaks the lottery system used when ESA applications exceed available funds. The new system prioritizes siblings first, followed by non-siblings, and then former ESA participants. Each category includes sub-prioritization based on income levels and disabilities.
Another hot topic that arose during Senate debates was how public education funding covers school meals. The revised bill now allows private school meal costs (breakfast and lunch) to be included as “approved education-related expenses.”
HB 2: Teacher Pay Raises & Public School Funding
The second major bill under review, HB 2, focuses on teacher salaries and public school finance. It is part of the “Texas Two Step” education reform package. While the bill retains its core goals, the committee substitute introduces significant changes to:
Funding formulas
Teacher incentive programs
Administrative policies
Biggest Change: Per-Student Funding Increase
One of the most notable updates is the increase in per-student funding. The new base allotment will rise to $6,555 per student, up from the current $6,160 per student.
What’s Next?
