Texas Governor Signs 1 Billion Voucher Bill In Milestone For School Choice Supporters Nationally

Texas will implement a 1 billion school voucher program, one of the largest in the country, that uses public dollars to fund private school tuition under a bill Gov. Greg Abbott signed Saturday, capping off a yearslong effort by Republicans.

School voucher supporters have long targeted the state, where past efforts buckled for decades against resistance from Democrats and rural Republicans. Last month President Donald Trump called lawmakers before a key vote needed to finally get the bill to Abbott's desk.

Texas joins more than 30 other states that have implemented a similar program, of which about a dozen have launched or expanded their programs in recent years to make most students eligible.

School vouchers have been Abbott's primary focus this year, coming off a 2024 election cycle in which he led a campaign to oust GOP lawmakers who voted against a similar bill last session.

Republican lawmakers and bill supporters say it will give parents more choice by letting them pull their children out of poor-performing public schools.