Texas public schools prepare for no increase in funding as voucher stalemate continues
AUSTIN, Texas - While lawmakers are home for the holidays, school district leaders are concerned about their budgets.
Critics of Governor Greg Abbott say he is holding school funding and teacher pay hostage because of a stalemate over school vouchers.
2023 will end with district leaders contemplating budget cuts.
"I think the governor right now has put special sessions on the back burner and is focused on the 2024 Republican primaries," said Rice University political scientist Mark Jones.
After multiple failed attempts by Gov. Abbott in 2023 to get school voucher legislation passed, he is now playing the long game.
Texas House rejects school vouchers
21 Republicans joined all House Democrats in supporting an amendment that took the education savings account provision out of House Bill 1.
Abbott has backed candidates in the 2024 primary who support vouchers, hoping to oust Republicans in the House who sided with Democrats.
Meanwhile, public school districts are still waiting for increased funding and teacher bonuses. Both are tied to the failed voucher effort.
"The governor lost some battles, but I think he still believes he's going to win the war. It didn't happen in 2023, unlikely to happen in 2024, but I think from the governor's perspective, if he's successful in the Republican primaries this March that come 2025, he will finally be able to pass voucher legislation," said Jones.
Before students went home for the holidays, districts like Richardson ISD updated parents about the strong likelihood of budget cuts.
"The projected budget shortfall is attributed primarily to no funding increases from the Texas legislature since 2018-19, coupled with student enrollment loss from the pandemic," read part of the letter from Richardson ISD to parents.
"The biggest losers here are the ISDs that are most strapped financially and don't have the money that they were counting on for the 2023-2024 cycle, as well as the 2024-2025 cycle," said Jones.
The voucher bill would have created savings accounts for parents to use toward private education. Governor Abbott calls it a "school choice" bill, even though his critics say parents already have a variety of public and charter school options.
Texas: The Issue Is - Rep. James Talarico discusses continued battle over school vouchers
FOX 4’s Steven Dial spoke with Texas House Democrat James Talarico, who is a former teacher, about school vouchers.
Gov. Abbott has said he would not sign a school funding bill if it did not have vouchers attached.
Jones says even if Gov. Abbott is successful in ousting anti-voucher Republicans he will still have to wait until 2025 for their successors to take office.
"I think, a possibility everyone needs to prepare for is that we don't see a special session during 2024 and that any increase in school funding would come during the 2025 legislative session, where it may once again be linked to vouchers in whole, or at least in part," said Jones.
After the fourth special legislative session the governor told reporters a majority of Texans support school choice and that he will work at the ballot box to get "choice" for all families.