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.

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.