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From the Capitol to the Classroom, in 2025 the best moments for public education occurred when lawmakers worked across the aisle and across chambers to respond to the concerns of their constituents and in support of public school students and teachers.
Key education themes and results from the 89th Session include:
Three key pieces of legislation were passed in 2025: increasing school funding, establishing a new school voucher program (Texas Education Freedom Accounts) and changing the state’s public school testing system.
House Bill 2 (89th Regular Session): The Texas Legislature delivered $8.5 billion in new public education funding for the 2025-26 biennium. The vast majority of the funding flows to teacher pay raises based on district size and experience, additional funding for support staff, investments in special education and new allotments to support operational costs. Still, the investment falls short of the $19.6 billion needed to maintain 2019 purchasing power for Texas public schools.
Senate Bill 2 (89th Regular Session): SB 2 established a new school voucher program (Texas Education Freedom Accounts), allowing eligible students to receive public funds for private school tuition. Private schools and vendors are not subject to the same state academic or financial accountability systems as public schools, and the comptroller’s office will administer the program, which will begin in the 2026-27 school year.
House Bill 8 (2nd Called Session, 89th Legislature): During two special sessions called by Gov. Greg Abbott, the Texas Legislature revisited public school testing and accountability after an earlier bill that would have brought significant changes to the program died in the final days of the session. The second attempt at testing and accountability reform fell short of the promise of House Bill 4 and instead created a new statewide Student Success Tool assessment system set to begin in the 2027-28 school year. The bill requires beginning- and middle-of-year tests from vendors approved by the Texas Education Agency, though these assessments will not factor into A-F ratings and are not norm-referenced.
Despite these adjustments, the bill leaves the foundation of the A-F accountability system virtually unchanged, with most campuses (elementary and middle school) still rated almost entirely on standardized test scores. For students, parents and teachers, nothing will change over the next two years. Even when the new system begins in 2027-28, the experience may feel similar, though tests are expected to be shorter and include fewer benchmarks throughout the year. Ultimately, it will be up to future legislatures to decide whether Texas can move beyond relying on a single test to define school quality.
Building a bright future for our state takes all of us. Let’s build the future of Texas together. Learn how you can educate, engage, and advocate to be a champion for our public schools.