Vouchers could change homeschool landscape
The passage of the state’s first voucher program means homeschool families in Texas will soon be eligible for up to $2,000 to use toward educational costs such as tutoring or curriculum. From 500,000 to 600,000 Texas children are being homeschooled — between 8% and 10% of all school-aged children, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Homeschooling in Texas is largely unregulated, with no requirement for parents to submit curriculum for review. Students are also not required to take the standardized tests given in public schools.
Any family that is currently homeschooling its children can apply for the $2,000, with priority given to children with disabilities or those in low-income households. Homeschoolers who want to switch to a private school can get up to $10,000 a year to help pay for tuition.
If there are more applicants than can be handled by the $1 billion allocated, the state will hold a drawing to determine who gets into the program. The Legislative Budget Board has predicted that about 270,000 homeschoolers will apply in the first year.
Texas Lottery Commission to be disbanded
While the sales of lottery tickets will continue, the commission charged with its oversight is being disbanded after stories broke of lottery couriers buying millions of tickets in order to virtually guarantee winning a $95 million Lotto Texas prize. The Texas Tribune reported the lottery will be run, starting in September, by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Recent legislation signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott also prohibits online ticket sales. Players can purchase up to 100 tickets in person at lottery retailers only during store hours.
The lottery raises $2 billion annually for the state.
Ex-Paxton aides allege witness tampering during impeachment trial
Legal filings in a federal suit from top aides to Paxton claim his right-hand deputy threatened to fire employees if they gave unfavorable testimony about Paxton during his 2023 impeachment trial, the Chronicle reported. Paxton was acquitted by the Texas Senate after that trial.
He has since launched a bid to unseat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the 2026 Republican primary.
The allegations are detailed in a suit filed last week by former Solicitor General Judd Stone and Chris Hilton, the former chief of the general litigation division. They claim that current First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster made the threats. Webster has not commented on the allegations.
Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.
com.