(NewsNation) — Texas could become home to the nation’s largest school choice program by next year, and some believe it could be an indicator of what’s to be expected with the Trump administration.
School choice, a plan to use public money to subsidize private school tuition, has been a hot-button issue dividing parents for decades. Texas state leadership said it would prioritize school choice among other legislative efforts.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who struck out the last legislative session, said he was going to push for school choice and even go as far as to name the measure, among others, as “emergency items.” This would allow lawmakers to work on these bills earlier than others.
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To make sure his proposed bills weren’t shot down again this year, Abbott threw his support behind candidates this election cycle who would support school choice.
The governor said he believes his efforts were successful.
“I made sure that we would elect Republicans to the House of Representatives in enough number to pass a school choice man like the senate has done many times,” Abbott said.
Nationally, 28 states and the District of Columbia already have some form of school choice legislation, according to Education Week.
That number has grown exponentially in recent years, and opponents of school choice say they’re concerned that it will grow even faster under President-elect Donald Trump’s second administration.
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Trump has said repeatedly that he supports school choice, and with a Republican-controlled Congress, there’s new optimism for advocates at the federal level.
However, voters in Colorado and Kentucky rejected separate school choice proposals last week.
Back in Texas, lawmakers can begin filing bills as soon as next week although the new session doesn’t start until January.
