A Texas bill that would offer families an education savings account of $8,000 per child caused an extraordinary stir Wednesday at the Texas State Capitol in Austin.
For the bill’s first hearing by a Texas Senate committee, advocates and critics flooded the hearing room to argue about the effects on students, families, and schools of passing this heavy-hitting school choice bill.
State Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, cast his much-anticipated legislation, SB 8, into the fray on March 10, the last day for lawmakers to submit a bill. The 53-page bill outlines a list of parental rights as well as qualifications for Texas students to receive $8,000 per year in quarterly installments for use with an alternative to public schools.
Students would be eligible for this education savings account program if they are currently enrolled in a Texas public school, are entering pre-kindergarten, or had attended a public school for at least 90% of the previous year.
