Texas House members filed a bevy of education bills last week, including a proposed $8 billion investment in public education and a voucher bill that ties the amount of money spent for private schooling to the dollar amount provided to public schools. The Austin American-Statesman reported the bill, filed by Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, would increase the base level of per-student funding by $220 — from $6,160 to $6,380. Additional funds would be provided for special education, bilingual education, transportation and to rural school districts.
The House voucher proposal differs from the version already passed by the Texas Senate in that it sets out a tiered system depending on a family’s income and prioritizes children with special education needs.
“We want kids in Texas to do better,” Buckley said. “That’s what it’s about.”
