Jay Dean explains his vote for vouchers

AUSTIN – The Texas House of Representatives voted Thursday for a school voucher program that will divert some public education money to individual parents in the form of a voucher to be used as a private or parochial school. Among those voting for the bill was District 7 Representative Jay Dean. Dean had opposed such a use of educational funds int the past, and explained to KTBB why he agreed to this version. His full statement follows…

State Representative Jay Dean
House District 7
Thursday, March 17, 2025. Austin, Texas.

Today, after days of tough negotiating for our rural schools, I joined my fellow rural Republicans in voting for an amended SB 2,
which passed the House 85 to 63. In this vote, I stood shoulder to shoulder with the same members I’ve stood with in questioning
vouchers since 2023.

I have always supported our public schools. That has not changed. And I have long had concerns with voucher programs. Over the
past several months, I’ve listened closely. My office has received thousands of emails, calls, and messages—and the feedback was
split. Folks across House District 7 had strong opinions on both sides.

But here’s the truth: this bill was going to pass—with or without us. The Governor made clear from the beginning of this Session that
this was his top priority. We could’ve walked away. But instead, we rolled up our sleeves, stayed in the fight, and worked to make it
better.

And we did.

Because we stayed at the table, we secured key amendments that now include:

• A two-year limit on funding this program—any extension of funding must come back to the Legislature
• Annual audits by the State Auditor for transparency and accountability
• Private schools must be accredited for at least 2 years to receive a voucher – no “pop up” or unaccredited schools
• Protection of public school funding, even when a student uses a voucher
• Residency safeguards to prevent non-residents and illegal immigrants from receiving a voucher
• A funding cap to ensure low-income and special education students get top priority (80%)

And we didn’t stop there. I fought for—and secured—real wins for East Texas public schools in HB 2:

• An average of $1,900 more per student in funding for public schools in HD 7
• A $10,000 raise for our longest-serving teachers
• New, permanent funding for small and rural schools across Texas

This is real money going into real classrooms.
I didn’t vote for this bill because it’s perfect. I voted for it because I helped make it better—and because East Texas needs and
deserves every dollar we fought for.

I chose to protect our schools. To stand up for our teachers. And to make sure rural Texas wasn’t left behind.
Earlier today, the House also passed an $8 billion public education funding package (HB 2). That only happened because rural
Republicans stood united, negotiated smart, and refused to be ignored. Now, we keep going—fighting for other priorities like
property tax relief, protecting our water rights, improving rural healthcare, expanding broadband, and taking care of the
communities that make East Texas strong.

At the end of the day, my first responsibility as your State Representative is to make the best decisions I can to improve life for the
people of HD 7. Securing a better outcome for our rural public schools has always been at the top of that list. I also considered what
I’ve heard directly from local private schools in our area. They have told me they won’t be participating in the voucher program—
they don’t want to be part of the state education system or take on the strings that come with state dollars. That’s their choice, and
it’s why they’re called private schools. But that also means the impact of this program on our district will be limited, while the
funding gains for our public schools are very real.

No, this isn’t the bill I would’ve written. But it’s a far cry from where it started. And I’ll never stop fighting to make sure our schools,
our communities, and our East Texas values are never left behind.

God bless.