It looks like Texas is going to get a new kind of education funding system, now that the two houses of the Texas Legislature are moving in concert to make a reality of one of the Governor's top priorities.

The state Senate voted in February to allow residents to use some state-administered school money for private schooling, an action that Governor Greg Abbott had named in the past as a top priority for the state.

Opposition to the "school choice" plan, alternatively called "voucher" programs, has been strong in the state House of Representatives, and proponents have been working to shore up support for the plans for years.

Of course, it all comes down to party politics: Republicans have been strongly in favor of the various "voucher" plans, while Democrats, who support a behemoth of teacher and school administrators' unions and lobby groups, are opposed to the concept.

Supporters in both the Texas House and Senate wrangled and bargained over details of the most recent plan until it started to take shape, but it's now reached a point of adequate agreement among House members, and on Friday the representatives approved new details that will limit the amount of money to be spent at $1 billion, when earlier plans had called for considerably more.

If that money starts to run low, priority is to be given to low income students and those with disabilities.

One point of contention, that private schools are still allowed to reject the applications of students who don't meet academic requirements, made its way into the latest plan.

The latest version also provides $8 billion in funding for Kindergarten-Grade 12 public schools, among the largest such packages in the state's history, independent of the private schools previously mentioned, which should be of consolation to unions.

And the latest version of that plan was passed by the Texas House of Representatives on Thursday on an 86-63 vote.

Then Friday Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick gave his approval of the House version of the school choice plan, which means it's almost ready for the Governor's signature to become law.

All that remains now is for the Senate to give its stamp of approval to the House plan and it'll go to Mr. Abbott for final approval.

In the latest version of the plan, public funds will provide about 85% of what public school receive in state and local funding.

The vast majority, about 80%, of the vouchers would go to families with incomes not far from the federal poverty level, while the rest would be available to all other Texans.

If passed by the Senate and signed by the Governor, the new "voucher" plan will allow plenty of time for schools and districts to prepare for the changes in funding and will likely go into effect during the summer before the 2026-2027 school year.

Jimmy Barrett

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