The 89th Texas Legislature began its regular session Jan. 14. While the deadline to file new legislation is March 14, here are the priorities Texas lawmakers have set on changing the future of education in the state.
The legislative session is scheduled to continue until June 2. Unlike the U.S. Congress, Texas Legislators only meet in regular sessions one every two years. The Republican Party still holds a majority in the Texas State Senate and the House of Representatives. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has clearly stated his priorities for this upcoming session, including school choice vouchers, fighting antisemitism on college campuses and anti-DEI related measures.
Gov. Gregg Abbott actively campaigned against Republicans who had opposed the school voucher program in the last session. The bill has become one of his top priorities for the upcoming legislative session. In November 2024, after the election was over, Gov. Abbott held a press conference in which he stated that he is confident he has 79 of the 76 necessary votes to pass in the Texas House. He said that “We will ensure that every parent has the right to choose the school that is best for their child.”
Texas Democrats held a press conference in January before the start of this legislative session, declaring their priorities. The Democrats had previously pushed back on the proposed school choice legislation in the last legislative session, stating that it would allow taxpayer money to be spent on private schools, rather than providing necessary funding to public schools who desperately need it. State Rep. James Talarico stated, “The vast majority of funding ends up going to rich parents who don’t need any help, at the expense of working-class kids across the state.”
A few other notable bills proposed for this session aim to ban transgender athletes from competing in UIL sports, remove waivers or reductions of tuition based on financial hardship, require schools to report non-resident (illegal immigrant) students to the correct authorities, and a bill that would repeal Texas Education Code Section 51.3525, which banned DEI offices and programs on college campuses in January 2024.