Texas will give participating families about $10,000 to pay for their kids’ private schooling. Other details about the program, set to launch in 2026, are unclear.
Public Education
Explore The Texas Tribune’s coverage of public education, from K-12 schools and funding to teachers, students, and policies shaping classrooms across Texas.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas strips protections for teachers, parents who share “obscene” material with children
A fiery debate on the House floor Friday gave way to the Senate Bill 412’s final vote. Supporters say it’s needed to protect children.
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Texas Legislature 2025
How Greg Abbott took a flailing school voucher movement and turned it into a winning issue
Abbott tapped into a powerful national conservative movement and his own campaign war chest to turn legislative races into multimillion-dollar affairs.
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Texas Legislature 2025
A 20-hour wait to speak: A pre-dawn House panel takes up Ten Commandments bill
Dozens of people who signed up to speak were ready at 4 a.m. to debate whether public school classrooms should have to display the Ten Commandments.
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Environment
Plans advance for $10 billion Exxon plastics plant on the Texas coast
Officials at a rural school district voted on Tuesday to begin developing a tax break agreement intended to draw Exxon to their stretch of the Gulf Coast north of Corpus Christi.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas House approves antisemitism bill in response to pro-Palestinian protests
The bill, which would require schools to use a definition of antisemitism when considering discipline for students, will soon head over to Abbott’s desk.
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Texas Legislature 2025
A now-discarded plan to split Keller ISD caused a stir. Lawmakers now want clear rules on how to divide districts.
A House bill would require school districts to hold an election before breaking into smaller entities.
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LGBTQ+ Texans
Texas students say K-12 DEI ban and other anti-LGBTQ+ bills threaten their safety, voice and mental health
Students are concerned the legislation could silence supportive teachers, dismantle safe spaces, lead to overenforcement and prevent honest conversations about identity.
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Graphics and data reporting
1 in 5 Texas schools got a D or F rating under new performance standards
Failing grades for districts were made public for the first time since 2019. They showed schools with the poorest students were more likely to get a low score.
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Politics
Private school vouchers head to Abbott’s desk to become law
The program will officially launch at the start of the 2026-27 school year.