Texas House Democrats are cautiously praising House Bill 2 (HB2), a school finance bill that allocates $8.5 billion to public schools. Though the bill provides a long-awaited funding boost, Democratic lawmakers argue it falls short of addressing Texas’ school funding crisis.
Rep. Alma Allen (D), who is a former educator, issued a statement, stressing the urgent need for timely and adequate funding. “Our children’s education cannot be held hostage to political games,” she said. “For too long, our educators have been asked to do more with less. We must take this step forward while continuing the fight to fully fund our schools at the level they deserve.”
Rep. Gene Wu (D), the Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, acknowledged the bill’s positive aspects but condemned the tactics that delayed its passage.
“Democrats worked hard to deliver our schools the funding they deserve this session, and HB2… is a step in the right direction,” Chairman Wu said. “But we should not forget that this school finance bill still leaves billions on the table… I voted against concurring with a process that held our schools hostage for five years, demanding vouchers as ransom for basic funding.”
The bill, which was passed after years of political gridlock, comes amid concerns in Texas public education. Schools face closures, staff shortages, and strained resources. Many Democrats blame Governor Greg Abbott (R) for prioritizing private school voucher schemes over public school funding.
“Six years ago, Greg Abbott took school funding hostage,” Rep. James Talarico (D) said in a statement. “Now, Republican leadership is failing to give our students the resources they need and failing to deliver a pay raise to every Texas teacher.”
Rep. Talarico emphasized that while HB2 offers some relief, “this deal barely scratches the surface.” “Texas students deserve fully funded classrooms. Every Texas teacher deserves a living wage. And our public schools deserve better than this,” he added.
