The Texas Senate recently passed its version of a school choice program with Senate Bill 2. The proposed legislation calls for education savings accounts — a voucher-like program that allows families to use taxpayer dollars to pay for private school tuition.

Like the Texas Senate, the House calls for a cash incentive paid from taxes for families who want to switch their kids from public to private school. But unlike the Senate, the House tied the amount of that incentive to public school funding.

Public school advocates oppose any plan resembling school vouchers saying such programs drain resources from the campuses that educate more than 5 million children in Texas. Supporters of ESAs say families should get state funding for the educational settings that best fit their needs.

Texas House Bill 3 introduces private school vouchers, stirring debate about educational funding and school choice.

Education is a major focus of the Texas Legislature this year, from teacher pay and training to tuition support for private education and homeschooling. Why it matters: Republican lawmakers' approach to education could harm public schools even as the legislators look to direct more money toward classrooms.