Texas Gov. Abbott signs $1 billion voucher program into law, capping off win for school choice advocates

Texas Gov Greg Abbott a Republican signed a school choice bill into law on Saturday that will allocate billion for a voucher venture that allows parents to use citizens funds to pay for their child's private school tuition The program's implementation caps off a yearslong effort by Republicans who have been advocating for school choice Voucher supporters have long focused on Texas where previous efforts failed amid resistance from Democrats and rural Republicans Last month President Donald Trump called on state lawmakers ahead of a key vote on the bill to certainly send the measure to Abbott s desk The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill by a party-line - vote on April after the state House approved the bill by an - vote the week before When I ran for reelection in I promised school choice for the families of Texas Abbott disclosed before signing the bill at the governor's mansion Nowadays we deliver on that promise LIBERAL SUPREME COURT JUSTICES GRILL RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION IN LANDMARK SCHOOL CHOICE CASEAbbott was joined by Lt Gov Dan Patrick state House Speaker Dustin Burrows bill author and state Sen Brandon Creighton U S Senator John Cornyn school choice advocates and students and their families From here forward Texas students will have unlimited foreseen and unlimited options in coaching to pursue for the rest of their path and learning and what their families do best and that in of itself was worth the journey Creighton announced Texas joins more than other states that already have similar programs The Lone Star State will have the largest voucher effort in the country School vouchers have been Abbott s main focus this year following last year's polling cycle in which he called for Republican primary voters to remove from office GOP lawmakers who voted against a similar bill in the last legislative session that the governor had supported 'BAD FOR PARENTS' SCHOOL CHOICE SUPPORTERS PROTEST EXCLUSION OF RELIGIOUS CHARTER IN SUPREME COURT CASESupporters of the bill say it will give parents more options by allowing them to take their children out of poor-performing society schools in favor of alternative community or private school choices Gone are the days that families are limited to only the schools assigned by regime Abbott declared The day has arrived that empowers parents to choose the school that is best for their child Democrats and Republicans in rural districts who have criticized the operation argue that it will pull financial information from Texas' inhabitants school students and subsidize the private mentoring of wealthy families Let s be clear this bill is only best for the richest people in the state and rural Texas especially will get the shaft Texas Democratic Party chairman Kendall Scudder disclosed in a message To top it all off Abbott s school shut-downs are in full-swing with no end in sight Starting next school year families can receive per year to help pay for their child's private school tuition or costs for home-schooling and virtual learning programs Children with disabilities can qualify for as much as per year The initiative will be capped at billion for the first year and cover up to students But by it could cost up to billion per year The Associated Press contributed to this record