AUSTIN, TEXAS — After weeks of delays and pressure, the House and Senate are in alignment on House Bill 2, the $8.5 billion bill to fund Texas schools after 6 years held hostage by Greg Abbott. Thanks to consistent pressure from Democrats, students, and teachers across the state, the bill concurred to by the House of Representatives today represents a significant improvement upon the dangerously-underfunded version initially proposed by Dan Patrick and the Texas Senate, and will give teachers a desperately-needed raise, protect schools from rising costs and inflation, and increase the basic allotment afforded to Texas schools.
**Democratic leaders in the Texas House of Representatives issued the following statements:
Texas House Democratic Caucus Special Committee on Education Co-Chair Rep. Alma Allen: **“As a former educator and school administrator, I know that our schools need funding without delays. I voted to pass HB 2 because for too long, our educators have been asked to do more with less. After years of legislative gridlock caused by Greg Abbott, and a school closure crisis that needs addressing now, we must take this step forward while continuing the fight to fully fund our schools at the level they deserve. Our children’s education cannot be held hostage to political games, and I will continue to fight for the comprehensive school finance reform that Texas children deserve.”
**Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu: **"Democrats worked hard to deliver our schools the funding they deserve this session, and HB 2 as passed today is a step in the right direction. But we should not forget that this school finance bill still leaves billions on the table that our schools could use to pay high insurance rates, give teachers more resources for their classrooms, and keep critical programs open. While I support the $8.5 billion finally directed to our schools in this bill, I voted against concurring with a process that held our schools hostage for five years, demanding vouchers as ransom for basic funding. Our children deserved this investment without being weaponized for political gain. In 2027, Democrats will return to the Legislature and re-commit to giving our schools every penny they deserve — because public education should never again be held captive to privatization schemes."
**Texas House Democratic Caucus Special Committee on Education Co-Chair Rep. James Talarico: **“I would vote for even a penny increase in school funding — but this deal barely scratches the surface of what’s needed to address the school funding crisis that Greg Abbott has created. Six years ago, Greg Abbott took school funding hostage, forcing school districts across the state to cut teaching positions, shut down programs, and close school campuses. Now, Republican leadership is failing to give our students the resources they need and failing to deliver a pay raise to every Texas teacher.
Texas students deserve fully funded classrooms. Every Texas teacher deserves a living wage. And our public schools deserve better than this.”