Legislators are examining a new idea they want to debate if and when the governor calls them back for a fourth special session, as the third legislative session ends without any progress being made to establish education savings accounts, a top priority for Governor Greg Abbott.

A draft summary of a measure that state representative Brad Buckley, a Republican from Fort Worth and chairman of the influential House Public Education Committee, plans to propose during the upcoming special session was released. The law, according to him, “has been shaped by extensive discussion over the past several months between House Members, the Governor’s Office, and key education stakeholders.”

Rep. Buckley wrote to his House colleagues, “My intent is to file this bill at the earliest opportunity… in the unlikely event that Governor Abbott calls us back into session.”

The Governor might convene a new 30-day legislative session as early as this Wednesday.

Under Rep. Buckley’s plan, families that wish to remove their children from public schools could apply for financial aid to help with the cost of private education.

Roughly $10,500 would be available for each child. According to the legislative summary for Rep. Buckley, that would be equal to 75% of the average budget allocated to public schools per pupil.

This is around 30% higher than the Senate’s proposal, which would have given each child $8,000. The Senate enacted legislation to fund education savings accounts.

Additionally, the House makes the curriculum available to all kids, including those enrolled in private schools. Only pupils who had been enrolled in public schools the year before were eligible for the program under the Senate’s initial version.

pupils with disabilities and families with a combined household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty line would have first choice in the House plan, which would prioritize pupils based on need and family income.

The “basic allotment,” or $6,160 per student with an average daily attendance of 60%, is a significant component of the per-student financing mechanism that is now in place for all public schools. The most recent plan from the House would raise the basic allotment to $6,700. Additionally, starting in 2027, it would institute permanent inflation adjustments every other year.

In the first year of this plan’s implementation, full-time educators, nurses, counselors, and librarians would earn a one-time $4,000 incentive. The identical occupations held by part-time workers would pay $2,000.

Read More: https://theeducationview.com/