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Crumbs for Public Education, a Feast for Billionaires.
Crumbs for Public Education, a Feast for Billionaires.
In a backroom deal orchestrated by Governor Abbott, the Texas Legislature recently passed two school funding bills: HB2 and SB2. HB 2 offered a $395 increase per student to the basic allotment, which is a good start, but that funding does not keep up with inflation from the last funding bill in 2019. In exchange, all but 2 Republican representatives agreed to pass SB 2, which gives 1 BILLION dollars to fund a voucher scheme that will leave Texas public school teachers out to dry.
In a backroom deal orchestrated by Governor Abbott, the Texas Legislature recently passed two school funding bills: HB2 and SB2. HB 2 offered a $395 increase per student to the basic allotment, which is a good start, but that funding does not keep up with inflation from the last funding bill in 2019. In exchange, all but 2 Republican representatives agreed to pass SB 2, which gives 1 BILLION dollars to fund a voucher scheme that will leave Texas public school teachers out to dry.
SB 2 is the darling of Pennsylvania-Billionaire Jeffrey Yass, whose investment group, Susquehanna International Group (SIG) has tens of millions of dollars tied up in "Education Management Organizations" (EMOs). EMOs are the corporations behind Private Schools and their proliferation across the US. The top-grossing EMOs in the nation are Stride, Inc. (Call Sign: LRN) and Adtalem Global Education, Inc. (Call Sign: ATGE). In Q4 2024, SIG invested heavily in both companies and bought over 33,000 shares of Adtalem alone--it's biggest buy of the stock since 2020. As of April of 2025, LRN increased it's value by 106% and ATGE by 42% in just 6 months. If we zoom out to 5 years, they increased value by 467% and 295% respectively.
EMOs are a feeding frenzy for billionaire-buzzard investors largely because people like Governor Abbott have put profits over our children. They have gutted the public school systems in Texas so their billionaire buddies can cash out. In return, these billionaires contribute to the Texas GOPs campaign "war chest". Texas AFT writes "To date, [Yass] has given the governor at least $12.25 million on this voucher quest. That money fueled primary challenges to anti-voucher Republicans last year, unseating enough of them to make [this] vote possible."
When Abbott is up for re-election in Nov 2026, remember who he serves and what's at stake. Whether you're a Democrat or Republican, research who is funding political campaigns and candidates' stances on public education, then go vote in the primary and general elections. Public educators must take a stand and vote like our lives depend on it. We are not carrion for these billionaire-buzzards. We will fight back!
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