GOP State Rep. says proposed education savings accounts will pass in Texas House
AUSTIN (CBSNewsTexas.com) - State Representative Justin Holland, R-Heath, said Thursday he doesn't believe the Texas House will pass taxpayer-financed education savings accounts when they are set to debate legislation Friday.
"I do not. Because I can count."
The controversial proposal is part of a larger bill, HB 1, that would also boost funding for public schools and give teachers a pay raise.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has campaigned hard this year for school choice or vouchers. And the pressure is on Republicans in the Texas House.
Holland told CBS News Texas Thursday he remains opposed to it.
"Personally, I have heartburn over the education savings accounts and vouchers."
He said using taxpayer money to help pay for kids to go to private school isn't responsible.
"As Constitutional Conservatives, one of the main questions I ask myself, is it conservative to have a general revenue expansion of government to the tune of $500 million to a billion dollars over the next few years for just a few students in the State of Texas to take advantage of?"
Under HB 1, eligible students could receive up to $10,500 a year to go to private school. Lower income and disabled students would be favored.
A fiscal note for HB 1 by the Texas House estimates that the cost of the education savings accounts alone would start at more than $461 million in 2025 and rise to $2.3 billion in 2028.
Holland, some other Republicans in the House and Democrats have blocked legislation for years because they have worried school districts will lose money when some of their students go to private school instead.
The education savings accounts are funded by general revenues. But the same fiscal note by the House finds that when students leave public schools for private schools, the state's Foundation School Program, which funds public schools, will save money.
The savings would start at $284 million in 2026 and rise to $369 million in 2028.
In a recent interview, Representative James Talarico, D-Austin told CBS News Texas, "I am confident that the bipartisan majority for our public schools will stay strong in this special session and any future special session. Vouchers have been dead in the Texas House since 1957 and they aint coming back anytime soon."
Supporters of education savings accounts, including Representative Brian Harrison, R-Waxahachie, have a message for their fellow Republicans who oppose school choice.
"To my colleagues in the Texas House, if you continue taking your orders from the the liberal teachers unions, you're turning your back on the voters that put you in office. Voters across the state of Texas overwhelmingly want parents to be able to choose where to put their kids."
The House bill also includes more money for school districts by raising the per student allotment from $6,160 to $6,700.
Under the measure, teachers would receive an added $4,000 to start, with additional pay raises afterwards.
Representative Holland said lawmakers need to focus on teachers. "We need to pay them. We need to make sure that they are bonused appropriately, and that these school districts who have passed deficit budgets get an increase in basic allotment so that they can fund these budgets."
Governor Abbott suggested last week if school choice didn't pass, he would keep calling lawmakers back for special sessions in December, January, and February.
Lawmakers will also vote on legislation Friday that would pay more money for security improvements at school campuses.
That is expected to pass.
