In a major development for school reform, Texas has approved one of the most significant school choice bills in U.S. history. The Texas House passed Senate Bill 2 with a vote of 86 to 63. This followed the Texas Senate’s earlier approval of the bill by 19 to 12.
Senate leaders announced on Friday that they plan to agree next week with the changes made by the House. Shortly after that, Governor Greg Abbott confirmed that he is prepared to sign the bill into law.
The new law will create a $1 billion Education Savings Account (ESA) program. It will provide $10,000 per student to help pay for private school tuition or other approved educational costs. Students with disabilities will receive more support. Homeschool families will get $2,000 per child each year for educational expenses.
This makes Texas the sixteenth state to pass universal school choice since 2021. It also confirms the role of Republican-led states in expanding parental rights in education.
The path to this success was not easy. In 2023, school choice failed in Texas when 21 Republican lawmakers joined Democrats to vote against it. That defeat blocked Governor Abbott’s earlier effort to pass similar legislation.
However, the political landscape changed after the 2024 primary elections. Abbott campaigned hard against lawmakers who opposed school choice. As a result, only seven of the original 21 Republicans kept their seats.
On Thursday, six of those seven remaining lawmakers changed their positions. They voted in favor of school choice, marking a major shift in the Texas House. This change shows how powerful parent-led activism has become in shaping education policy.
Much of this movement began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers’ unions, led by figures like Randi Weingarten, pushed to keep schools closed. During that time, many parents observed what their children were learning at home. Some parents grew concerned about topics like critical race theory and gender discussions in public school lessons.
These concerns led many parents to demand more control over their children’s education. The movement grew quickly and became a major political force. This parent-driven energy also played a role in Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, where he won by a nine-point margin among parents. This marked a major shift from 2020, when parents supported Joe Biden by six points.
Today, about 40 percent of school-age children in the U.S. live in states with universal school choice. Just four years ago, that number was zero.
States like Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Iowa are leading the way. They support the idea that families, not government officials, should decide what kind of education children receive.
Florida offers a clear example of how school choice can change politics. In 2018, Ron DeSantis narrowly won the race for governor. His victory was credited to mothers who supported school choice. His opponent, Andrew Gillum, had promised to end Florida’s scholarship programs. That helped tip the election in DeSantis’s favor.
Since then, school choice has continued to grow in Florida. Today, Republicans control both the House and Senate there by large margins. The policy has proven popular and politically effective.
Supporters of school choice say it gives families better education options. They also say it helps Republicans win support from voters who may not usually vote for them. Many parents now consider school choice their top issue. As a result, the political landscape is changing.
