We have officially passed the halfway point of the 88th Texas Legislative Session.

The deadline for filing bills has come and gone – at the forefront of bills filed concerns parental choice in education.

The Family Freedom Project is prioritizing a constitutional amendment that would protect the right of parents to make decisions for their children, including in the realm of education.

Through our sister organization, the Texas Home School Coalition (THSC), we are also prioritizing a constitutional amendment that would specifically protect homeschools and private schools from state regulation.

This is the year of parental rights in the Texas Legislature. More parental rights bills have been filed this year than ever.

THSC, our sister organization, has been closely monitoring several bills related to parental choice in education.

Check out a full list of priorities from THSC and FFP.

Among the many parental choice in education bills filed this session are numerous bills related to Education Savings Account (ESA) programs.

The proposed ESA programs are aimed at empowering parents to access the education options that are best for their children.

The ESA programs take a portion of the state funds allocated for a given student at the local public school and place those funds into an account that can be used to pay for other education-related expenses.

This would give many parents the ability to choose the best educational option for their child, whether that be a private school, online school, or homeschooling.

Read more about how these programs would work.

The goal of these proposals is to give parents more choices in their children’s education.

Overview of Parental Choice Bills Filed:

State Representative James Frank has filed:

  • HB 5267 would enable specific children to utilize an Education Savings Account to seek educational alternatives to public schools.
  • HB 5261 relates to public education, including parental rights and public school responsibilities regarding instructional materials and the establishment of an education savings account program.
  • HB 4339 would let certain disadvantaged kids and their siblings utilize public funds to attend educational institutions other than public schools and would provide an insurance premium tax credit for donations made for the purposes of that program.
  • HB 4340 would allow certain kids to utilize public funds to seek educational alternatives to public schools, as well as an insurance premium tax credit for donations made for the program’s aims.

State Senator Brandon Creighton has filed:

  • SB 8 relates to public education, including the creation of an education savings account and parental and public school obligations in relation to instructional materials.

State Senator Paul Bettencourt has filed:

  • SB 1474 relates to special education in public schools, such as the special education allocation under the Foundation School Program, an education savings account program for specific children with disabilities, and a grant program to reimburse public schools for the cost of certain employer contributions for retired teachers employed to teach special education who are members of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

State Senator Angela Paxton has filed:

  • SB 2483 relates to the establishment of an Education Savings Account program.

State Representative Jacey Jetton has filed:

  • HB 3781 relates to special education in public schools, such as the special education allocation under the Foundation School Program, an education savings account program for specific children with disabilities, and a grant program to reimburse public schools for the cost of certain employer contributions for retired teachers employed to teach special education who are members of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

State Representative Nate Schlatzline has filed:

  • HB 5112 relates to the establishment of an education savings account program.

State Representative Cody Vasut has filed:

  • HB 557 relates to the establishment of an educational expenses reimbursement program.

State Representative Steve Toth has filed:

  • HB 2114 relates to the establishment of an empowerment scholarship account program.

State Representative Briscoe Cain has filed:

  • HB 1892 relating to improved educational efficiency by empowering parents through a program administered by the comptroller.

It is important to note that the proposed ESA programs in Texas are not yet law, and there are many factors to consider before implementing such a program.

However, the proposed ESA programs in Texas represent a significant shift in education policy, one that could give parents more control over their child’s education.

FFP and THSC will continue to closely monitor each of these bills and any effect they could have on homeschooling families.

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