With the elections behind us, we’re shifting from providing you with context from the campaign trail to context from the Texas State Capitol as the Texas legislature gets to work. Keep up with Capitol Context this legislative session as we examine bills being debated, the messages we’re hearing from elected leaders and how their votes impact us all.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Senate recently passed its version of a school choice program with Senate Bill 2. The proposed legislation calls for education savings accounts — a voucher-like program that allows families to use taxpayer dollars to pay for private school tuition.
Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, authored the bill. On the Senate floor, Creighton said the bill is meant to help students with special needs and income vulnerable students.
Critics argue the bill’s definition of “low income” is too high. Senate Bill 2 defines low income as “at or below 500 percent of the federal poverty guidelines,” which equates to $160,000 dollars a year for a family of four in Texas.
We learned more about the 17 states that have passed some form of education savings accounts using Ed Choice, a nonprofit that is nonpartisan but also pro-school choice and tracks education legislation nationwide.
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa and West Virginia will have no income restrictions for students to receive education savings accounts next school year or the state plans to phase into a non-restricted system in the near future.
Florida, Louisiana and Utah have no income restrictions, but they do prioritize families at certain percentages of the federal poverty level — up to 555% in Utah.
Mississippi, Montana and North Carolina offer savings accounts only to students with special needs or disabilities.
And programs in Georgia, Indiana, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wyoming all have income restrictions in place, but none go as high as the 500% threshold lined out in the Texas Senate’s bill.
