AUSTIN, Texas (LifeSiteNews) — Texas Governor Gregg Abbott has liberals up in arms after approving a historic school voucher program that could help families while drawing children away from the public school system.

Abbott signed what he called a “landmark” bill on Saturday, though it won’t go into effect until 2026. It creates the largest voucher program in the U.S. by allotting $1 billion dollars over a two-year period.

“The day has arrived that empowers parents to choose the school that’s best for their child,” Abbott said on Saturday.

Signed landmark school choice legislation into law on Saturday.

Texas’ school choice program is the largest day-one launch in our country’s history.

School choice will benefit Texas families for generations. pic.twitter.com/aedGg7bMAM

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 5, 2025

The bill has essentially been in the works for over a decade as the issue has been acrimoniously fought over by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. It would enable the more than five million students enrolled in Texas’ public school system to attend private schools, with up to $10,000 for each student, with caps for wealthier families. The measure also allows families who homeschool their children to receive $2,000 per student for educational expenses.

According to multiple media outlets, only one million students had been using taxpayer dollars to cover the cost of private education in years past. Texas has the second largest public school system in the country, with California being the largest at around five million.

Democrats and teachers’ unions worry the measure will not only cause teachers to quit but that its costs could skyrocket and even cause public schools to close. But Abbott has insisted that more options are needed for families when it comes to their child’s education, especially given the intrusion of woke ideology into curriculums in recent years.

President Trump announced earlier this year that he plans on dismantling the Department of Education, citing high costs per student as well as LGBT and DEI initiatives being promoted at the national level. Secretary Linda McMahon is currently working to send federal dollars back to the states to they can better allocated funds at the local level.