Texas is closer than ever to a historic shift in its educational landscape.

A plan to get the state to allow public funds to pay private school tuition moved closer to victory over Election day.

Gov. Greg Abbott is celebrating several expected victories in the Texas House, where he has spent huge amounts of money and political capital to support Republicans who support his school choice agenda.

Before the polls closed, Abbott announced a news conference Wednesday at a private Christian academy in Tyler. He is expected to discuss his plans for a school voucher-type program.

“Despite the lies from Democrats and teachers unions, Texas voters spoke loud and clear tonight: It’s time to choose Texas,” said Abbott spokesman Andrew Mahaleris. . “When it comes to education, parents matter and families deserve to be able to choose the best educational opportunities for their children. Governor Abbott will not rest until school choice becomes the law of the land.

Other school voucher supporters also seemed confident that Tuesday’s results would ultimately lead to victory.

“Texas now has the votes to pass universal school choice, ending a 40-year policy gridlock,” said Genevieve Collins, state director of Americans for Prosperity. “Tonight’s election results are clear: Parents and a large portion of voters believe that school choice in Texas will pave the way to a brighter future for our students.”

In seats Democrats were hoping to flip, early results showed the Republican candidate doing well. Republican state Rep. Angie Chen Button of Garland was the Democratic primary challenger Averie Bishopwhile Republican state Rep. Morgan Meyer trails Democratic challenger Elizabeth Ginsberg.

The seats matter because the fight over education savings accounts, or ESAs, could come down to just a few votes.

Rural Democrats and Republicans in the House have banded together for decades to thwart such efforts, saying they fear diverting money from the public schools that educate the vast majority of Texas children. In rural areas of the state, public schools are often the only option for families and serve as anchors for the community.

“People still really love their public schools and want them to improve,” said Chloe Latham Sikes, deputy policy director at the Association for Research on Intercultural Development.

The group remains opposed to the governor’s plan. She noted that in previous sessions, the House and Senate had disagreements over the details of any bond-like proposal. Even with the votes garnered by Abbott’s camp, much remains unknown.

“What will actually be on the plate remains a question,” Latham Sikes said.

Abbott and other Republican leaders insist that parents need a way out of “failing” public schools and deserve the chance to send their children to the campus that best fits their needs.

The governor received a record donation from a TikTok billionaire investor, as well as money from other school choice supporters. In turn, he invested millions of dollars in this year’s Republican primaries in an effort to defeat the incumbents who helped block his plan. He celebrated the March primary victories – but Tuesday was the real test of whether he could strengthen his side.

Before Election Day, Abbott helped unseat eight incumbent House Republicans who voted last year to block his school choice proposal.

In the March primary, Abbott helped defeat Republican House incumbents Travis Clardy of Nacogdoches, Ernest Bailes of Shepherd, Hugh Shine of Temple, Glenn Rogers of Graford and Steve Allison of San Antonio.

In the runoff, Abbott successfully targeted Reps. Justin Holland of Heath, DeWayne Burns of Cleburne and John Kuempel of Seguin.

His office projects at least 77 votes in the 150-member House, which could be enough to approve the idea.

Even with seats assured Tuesday evening, the policy remains far from cemented. Before Election Day, supporters prepare for battle.

“We’re going to give up,” said Zeph Capo, president of the Texas American Federation of Teachers, which opposes the voucher plans. “Someone has to stand up for the schools, the kids, the teachers and the people on the ground. The profiteers, the business people, the wealthy people have a lot of people defending them in Austin.

Regardless of the election night results, the details of any ESA plan should always spark heated debate. Lawmakers should determine which families would be prioritized for the program – children with special needslow-income families or students at home – and how much it would cost.

Abbott supported universal school choice “for Texas parents so they can ensure their child goes to the school that’s best for them.”

An education savings account program debated last year is expected to cost the state more. more than 2 billion dollars per year by 2028, according to estimates by the Legislative Council of the state budget.

Concerns have also emerged about the impact on rural schoolswith some lawmakers proposing a financial buffer to protect them from the immediate impact of declining enrollment.

Questions also arise about the tensions inherent in this policy: Should private schools that receive taxpayer money be held accountable? same standards of responsibility like public schools? How the separation of church and state take into account?

School trustees and superintendents have long fought against any voucher-type plans.

They mobilized to maintain public funding for public schools, which are already struggling with tight budgets. If campuses lose students, they lose money.

However, some fierce opponents seem to recognize that the governor could finally win his case during the next session.

When Dallas school commissioners recently debated legislative priorities for 2025, they did not express explicit opposition to school vouchers.

They agreed that any school that receives taxpayer money should adhere to the same rules for academic and financial accountability, as well as transparency.

“I’m not a fan of vouchers. I don’t like vouchers,” said Trustee Lance Currie. “I also want to give our leaders the freedom to face political reality, which is more likely than last year.”

The session begins in January.