Texas lawmakers have approved a $1 billion school voucher bill, marking a significant victory for school choice advocates across the nation.

“Texas has been the big prize that school choice advocates have been advocating for a long time. It’s obviously a huge state, a Republican state,” said Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education. “It’s been a real gap in the landscape. And so the fact it’s taken decades at this point to get through is a big victory for school choice advocates.”

It now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, but he is expected to sign the legislation. He has been a strong supporter of the bill.

With this legislation, Texas becomes the 16th state to pass universal school choice, joining states like Florida, Arizona, Utah, and North Carolina. In total, 30 states and the District of Columbia now offer some form of school choice in the form of vouchers, education savings accounts, or tax credits.

Critics of the program argue it diverts essential funding away from public schools. “We are funding private education for the wealthy few at the expense of the rest of us,” they said.

Public schools have faced increased scrutiny since the pandemic, with school shutdowns and virtual schooling providing parents with more access to curriculum and classroom management. Many parents were dissatisfied with what was being taught and how. Additionally, sliding test scores have raised concerns, as the latest data from the Nation’s Report Card indicates that test scores still lag behind pre-pandemic performance levels.

Neily predicts increased school choice will have a positive effect on public schools. “They are now going to have to compete to keep those children in the public school system. So the way I think we’re going to see this manifest in the coming years is that schools will actually become more responsive to families, aka their customers’ needs and desires,” she said.

In the next week, the Supreme Court is set to weigh in on the approval of the United States’ first religious charter school.

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