It’s been a divisive topic in the Lone Star state, but the Texas Senate has passed SB 2, a landmark bill that expands school choice options. The legislation, authored by Texas Senator Brandon Creighton (R), establishes a universal school choice program with an emphasis on special needs students and those in underperforming schools.
Following the passage of the bill, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (R) praised the effort, calling it a historic step towards providing parents with great control over their children’s education.
My Statement on the Passage of Senate Bill 2 – Providing School Choice:https://t.co/SPheqQVpgY#txlege pic.twitter.com/tChyFIoIS0
— Office of the Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (@LtGovTX) February 6, 2025
In a statement, the Lt. Governor emphasized his longstanding commitment to education reform, stating that "from the first day I arrived in the Texas Senate, my goal and passion has been to improve public education in Texas and provide great education options for all students.”
“As senator, I served as chair of the Senate Committee on Education and led the effort to reform high school diplomas, reduce STAAR tests from 15 to 5, reform charter schools, and fully fund public education,” he informed.
“In addition to supporting a robust public education system, which should be the finest in the country, I support SB 2 because I strongly believe that parents deserve choice in their child's education,” he continued, adding that the bill “is a universal school choice bill, with a strong focus on special needs students and students in failing schools."
"The Texas Senate's passage of SB 2 is the biggest launch of any universal school choice program in American history, with $1 billion in funding for 100,000 students,” the lt. governor said, thanking state Senator Creighton for having “done an outstanding job authoring and carrying this bill."
SB 2 represents one of the most significant school choice initiatives in U.S. history. It allocates $1 billion to fund education savings accounts for 100,000 students. Despite overwhelming Republican support, school choice legislation has repeatedly stalled in the Texas House as the lt. governor noted.
"This is the sixth time the Texas Senate has passed school choice, with every previous bill dying in the Texas House,” he said. “The Senate will pass school choice over and over again until the House passes this bill. The days of limiting millions of Texas students to a one-size-fits-all approach are over."
