The governor is Texas’ chief executive, with a hand in everything from enforcing laws to setting budget priorities and responding to crises. Here’s a look at where GOP candidate Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa stand.
school vouchers
Comptroller requests doubling Texas school voucher program to $2 billion
This is the first year for education savings accounts, which allow Texas families to use taxpayer dollars for private or home schooling.
Which families are using ESAs? Here’s what we know about Texas’ first school vouchers
The number of Texas students using taxpayer money for private school or home-school could increase as more families accept invites.
Nearly 96,000 students receiving Texas school voucher award notices
Families have until July 15 to opt in to the education savings accounts, or ESAs, which launches next school year.
Judge will allow Attorney General Ken Paxton to withdraw from representing comptroller’s office in voucher case
The Houston federal judge said Paxton’s office can pull out of the case as soon as acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock finds new lawyers. The unusual request comes amid a bubbling feud between the two Republicans.
TribCast: Assessing the rollout of Texas school vouchers
In this week’s episode, hosts Matthew and Eleanor talk with Tribune K-12 education reporter Jaden Edison about who in Texas applied for school vouchers and why Muslim schools were shut out of the program.
Judge orders Texas to extend school voucher deadline in response to lawsuit from Islamic schools
The application period, set to close Tuesday night, must now remain open until March 31, according to an attorney representing Islamic schools.
Texas clarifies voucher rules to help more families access future special ed support
After reporting from The Texas Tribune, the office tasked with handing out vouchers clarified that families who do not complete a special education evaluation this year may have a chance to qualify for more funding in future years.
Texas families can now apply for private school vouchers. Here’s what to know.
Families filed applications for more than 100,000 students by mid-February. The application period will close March 17.
Ken Paxton: Comptroller can exclude schools from voucher program under anti-terror laws
A CAIR official blasted the Texas AG’s opinion, saying the law does not permit the comptroller to scrutinize Muslim schools because of their religious identity.

