Texas House Proposes a Weak School Choice Bill

In the arena of Texas education reform, the clash between conservative principles and legislative proposals is glaringly evident in the face-off between Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) and House Bill 1 (HB 1).

HB 1 proposes significantly less funding than SB 1. It reduces the amount per student to $6,160, compared to the $8,000 per student established with SB 1. This severely undercuts what Texas families need and want.

This new bill would include an expansion of STAAR testing. Representative Steve Toth on X came out against the bill mainly for this reason, stating “This is not a serious bill any more than Dade Phelan is a serious Speaker.”

HB 1's restrictive approach to ESA accessibility, allowing only 25,000 students access in its first year, is a ridiculously low number of students. Representative Steve Toth's outright dismissal, declaring, "This bill is dead," resonates with those who advocate for policies that genuinely embrace the principles that Texas families stand on. True educational choice means breaking down barriers and expanding access for all, not confining it to a limited few.

HB 1 is not the school choice bill that Texans are demanding. It is a joke compared to SB 1, authored by Senator Creighton. It’s expected that the House would come in with a bill that isn’t even close to comparable to the great bill that came through the Senate. Representative Toth and many others are accurate in saying that this bill just isn’t good enough.