As the new school year dawns in Texas, students, teachers, and parents are bracing for a wave of sweeping changes to public education—changes that reflect not only a legislative overhaul but also the increasingly assertive political strategy of Governor Greg Abbott. The 2025 legislative session has proven transformative, ushering in a series of state laws that promise to reshape the educational landscape for years to come. The effects of these laws, which range from increased funding and teacher raises to controversial measures on cell phone use, religious displays, and diversity programs, are already being felt across the state.
According to The Texas Tribune, the Legislature approved a $1 billion school voucher program, a long-sought goal of Governor Abbott, which allows families to use taxpayer funds for private schooling. This landmark policy was accompanied by an $8.5 billion boost to public school funding, the first significant increase after years of stagnant state support. These financial infusions are designed to address teacher pay, special education, and broader systemic needs. House Bill 2 established a new pay structure: teachers in smaller districts with three to four years of experience will receive a $4,000 raise, while those with five or more years will see an $8,000 increase. In larger districts, the raises are $2,500 and $5,000, respectively. The bill also overhauled special education funding, moving to a needs-based model and providing districts $1,000 for each disability evaluation conducted.
But money isn’t the only thing changing. House Bill 1481, which bans students from using personal cell phones during school hours, has stirred debate among educators and families alike. Supporters argue the measure will help students focus, improve mental health, and reduce bullying, while critics worry it could hinder communication in emergencies or with parents. Brian Woods, deputy executive director of the Texas Association of School Administrators, told The Texas Tribune, “That’s a pretty substantial change…especially for high school students. Probably less of a change for the younger grades.” The law requires districts to enforce disciplinary actions for violations but leaves the specifics up to local control. Woods added, “I don’t see that school safety is materially, negatively impacted by students not having access to their cell phones. In my experience, virtually every classroom has a phone in it, and also has an alternative method of contacting an office area in the school.”
Perhaps the most visible—and contentious—change comes with Senate Bill 10, which mandates that every classroom display a 16-by-20-inch poster of the Ten Commandments. This move, part of a broader push by Republican lawmakers to infuse more religion into public schools, has already attracted legal challenges. A federal court recently deemed a similar law in Louisiana unconstitutional, and in Texas, the American Civil Liberties Union and a group of parents have filed suit. Oral arguments began August 15, 2025, in a U.S. district court in San Antonio. The law requires schools to hang the posters if they are privately donated but does not obligate districts to purchase them. Another new law, Senate Bill 11, allows schools to provide time during the day for prayer or reading religious texts, provided there is parental consent and no public reading over speakers or to non-consenting students.
Senate Bill 12 marks another flashpoint, extending the ban on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs to K-12 schools. The law prohibits schools from considering race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation in hiring and training and bans school-sponsored clubs based on gender identity or sexual orientation. Proponents, like Rep. Jeff Leach, argue this upholds parental authority and ensures neutrality, but critics—including the ACLU and other civil rights groups, who announced plans in June to challenge the law—say it disproportionately targets marginalized students and could harm mental health and educational outcomes. The legislation builds on a 2023 law that eliminated DEI offices and programs at Texas public universities.
Parents and school boards will also wield more power over what students read. Senate Bill 13 enables them to challenge any school library material if 50 parents or 10% of the district’s parents (whichever is less) sign a petition. The law bans materials with “indecent or profane content,” a move that supporters say protects children but critics argue will disproportionately target books about sexuality, gender identity, and marginalized groups. According to PEN America, Texas banned 540 books in the 2023-24 school year alone.
Discipline policies are tightening as well. House Bill 6 expands when schools can issue out-of-school suspensions, including to the youngest and homeless students, rolling back reforms from 2017 and 2019 that had limited such measures. The bill also increases the maximum duration of in-school suspensions, requiring periodic reviews but allowing placements to last as long as deemed necessary. For students caught vaping, first-time offenders may now receive less severe discipline than before. The law also permits remote instruction in alternative education programs, a practice that critics say contributed to learning loss during the pandemic. Lawmakers defending the changes argue that removing disruptive students protects others and maintains a positive learning environment, while opponents worry this approach fails to address underlying emotional or behavioral needs.
Behind these legislative shifts is the unmistakable hand of Governor Greg Abbott, whose political strategy has grown increasingly forceful in recent years. As reported by The Texas Tribune, Abbott’s assertiveness is fueled by a string of victories and a formidable campaign war chest. In 2017, Abbott made waves by backing challengers against incumbent state House members, and by 2023, he directly targeted 15 anti-voucher incumbents, unseating 11. This hardball approach paid off: the 2025 school voucher package passed with little GOP opposition, fulfilling a long-standing priority for the governor.
Abbott’s tactics extend beyond education. He has taken legal action to remove Democratic lawmakers who left the state to block a GOP congressional map, including asking the Texas Supreme Court to vacate the seat of Houston Rep. Gene Wu. He has called multiple overtime legislative sessions in 2025 to push through his agenda, which includes abortion pill restrictions, bathroom use aligned with birth sex, and election crime prosecutions. Abbott’s border security initiatives under Operation Lone Star have further bolstered his national profile and political capital.
Supporters praise Abbott’s determination. “He’s always been someone who I think the best way to describe it is determined. … People underestimate his determination, and every time they do so at their own peril,” said Matt Hirsch, a former deputy chief of staff to Abbott, as quoted in The Texas Tribune. Critics, however, accuse him of overreach and abusing his power. “We said we would defeat Abbott’s first corrupt special session, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” said Rep. Gene Wu.
As Texas students settle into classrooms adorned with new posters and stricter rules, the coming months will reveal how these sweeping changes play out on the ground. The legislative session may be over, but the debates—and the lawsuits—are just beginning.
