Austin, TX
Explaining SB2, the proposal for Texas Education Savings Accounts
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Education savings accounts are a top priority for Governor Abbott and the Texas Legislature this session.
Born from the concept of “school choice,” lawmakers are hoping to give Texas families the opportunity to remove their children from public school and send them to private school.
“The issue I hear mostly from parents is that they are angry at a ‘woke’ agenda being pushed on their [public school] kids,” Governor Abbott said during a rally at a private school last week.
The concept of “school choice” isn’t new. America First Policy Institute reports at least 32 states across the country have some form of voucher system. Those include vouchers, tax-credit scholarship programs, and education savings accounts.
Vouchers are simply taxpayer dollars made available for families to use for private school tuition. Tax-credit scholarship programs involve businesses or individuals donating to a scholarship fund in exchange for tax credits.
Education savings accounts, which Texas lawmakers hope to implement, are state-supported bank accounts that parents can access for things like private school tuition and transportation.
SB2 requires the Texas Comptroller’s Office to set those accounts up and comb through applications. It also proposes accountability measures. The bill requires the Comptroller’s Office to contract with a company that will regularly audit the accounts.
Senate Bill 2 proposes $10,000 be made available per student, per year. That number increases to $11,500 for students with disabilities and could also provide $2,000 for homeschool students.
Any child already enrolled in public school, from pre-K to high school seniors, is eligible for a savings account. Any child already enrolled in private school can also apply.
It is important to keep in mind; however, that private schools are not required to accept a student, even if they can pay tuition. That’s one of the major concerns for lawmakers and parents who are against SB2.
“You’re telling us this bill would allow hard-working Texans’ taxpaying dollars the ability to be presented to a private institution that could deny that student?” State Senator Jose Menendez, of San Antonio, asked of the bill’s author. “The Texas constitution requires equal educational opportunities. It has a mandate for us to do that. How do you reconcile the two?”
Both chambers of the legislature agreed to initially set aside $1 billion for this program. There are more than 5.5 million students enrolled in public schools across Texas, according to the Texas Education Agency. That means the state’s education savings accounts will only allow 0.018% of the student population to switch to private school.
That percentage also has lawmakers concerned, and questioning who would receive the funds at the end of the day.
“In terms of our public school system, it’s predominately minority, is it not? And private schools are predominately white? So, we are about to fund a component of the state’s education system that is currently, let’s say, 75 percent white,” State Senator Royce West, of Dallas, asked on the Senate floor.
If demand surpasses state funding, only children with disabilities or those who fall 500% under the federal poverty line will be considered for the accounts. In 2024, the federal poverty line for a family of four was $31,200. Five times that amount would be $156,000 a year.
The state conducted a fiscal analysis of SB2 last month. That report estimates Texas will need to set aside $4 billion for the savings accounts by 2030. Public schools rely on attendance for state funding, and the report estimates 98,000 students will leave public schools for private schools by that same year.
It’s not yet clear when the House will take SB2 up. Committees were just created on Thursday. That means the bill will now have to pass through the House’s Public Education Committee before it can be brought to the floor for a vote.
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Students representing schools from across the Texas Panhandle gathered at the Texas State Capitol on Monday, May 4, for the inaugural Panhandle Capitol Leadership Program, organized and hosted by State Representative Caroline Fairly.
The program brought together students from several school districts spanning hundreds of miles of the Panhandle, giving them direct access to the halls of state government. Throughout the day, the middle school students engaged with the legislative process through tours of the Capitol, etiquette training, a visit to the Governor’s Mansion, and presenting bill ideas to their peers.
An immersive civic education experience, the program was designed to bridge the distance between the Panhandle and Austin, giving students the opportunity to consider a future in public service. Fairly intends to continue the program in future years.
“One of the most important things we can do for the future of Texas is make sure our young people understand how their government actually works,” Fairly said. “The students who came to Austin today didn’t just observe the legislative process; they engaged with it. That kind of hands-on civic education is what turns curious students into engaged and productive adults.”
The following exceptional students participated in the program:
- Follett ISD: Randi Purgason, Angel Aguilar, and Gideon Stinson;
- Stratford ISD: Hellen Chitic and Monse Zamudio;
- River Road ISD: Kaydence Kovar, Lillie Stubblefield, and Kathryn Ruiz;
- San Jacinto Christian Academy: Cate Dowdy;
- Ascension Academy: Anima Tumula, Grae Gerig, and Zadie Shreffler;
- The Oaks: Ellie Carbajal, Aylah Jones, and Paige Solomon;
- Amarillo ISD: Mason Perry, Norah Bennett, and Jocelynn Guevara; and
- Perryton ISD: Andrew Russell.
“Seeing this extremely bright group of students presenting their ideas was one of the most rewarding experiences of my legislative career so far,” Representative Fairly added. “I am grateful to every student, teacher, and parent who made the trip. The future of the Panhandle is in excellent hands.”
Other community news
Kelly Preston, Senior Vice President and Human Resources Director at FirstBank Southwest, has been selected as a recipient of the Emerging Leader Award by the Texas Bankers Foundation. The award will be presented at the Texas Bankers Association’s 141st Annual Convention during a special awards luncheon. “Kelly represents the very best of what this industry needs as it looks to the future,” said Andy Marshall, President and CEO of FirstBank Southwest. “Her leadership is grounded in integrity, collaboration, and a genuine care for people. She brings those values into every part of her work, and we’re proud to see her recognized by the Texas Bankers Foundation as an emerging leader.” For more information, visit www.texasbankers.com/Foundation and check out Texas Banking Magazine, the official publication of the Texas Bankers Association, which includes a special feature on the 2026 award winners.
Ceta Canyon Camp and Retreat Center will host a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, May 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to celebrate the completion of its new Camp Safety Initiatives and Protocols and to recognize the generous donors who helped make them possible. The event will be held at the Ceta Canyon Welcome Center, located at 37201 FM 1721, in Happy. “Safety is one of the deepest ways we love the families who trust us with their kids,” said Joe Alarcon, CEO of Ceta Canyon Camp and Retreat Center. “We are also honored to recognize Heaven’s 27 and the fulfillment of the provisions outlined in the new bill. As one of the few organizations to receive licensure, we are grateful to lead the way in meeting these important standards.”
The Amarillo Symphony announced that Damian Blacksher, a senior at Dumas High School and a three-year bassoonist with the Amarillo Symphony Youth Orchestra (ASYO), has been named the inaugural recipient of the Claire Stovall Scholarship. The $2,500 award will assist Damian as he pursues a Bachelor of Music degree at the Baylor University School of Music in fall 2026. The Claire Stovall Scholarship was established by Jeff and Amy Stovall in loving memory of their daughter, Claire, a gifted violinist in ASYO. “Damian embodies everything this scholarship was created to honor,” said Larry Lang, Executive Director of the Amarillo Symphony. “He is a serious young artist with a generous spirit, the kind of student who lifts up everyone around him. The Stovall family’s gift will help carry his musicianship forward, and through Damian, Claire’s love of music continues to inspire the next generation of Panhandle musicians.”
This week’s Furry Friend is Quinn. “Quinn’s coloring is black with some white, and she is a medium size dog. Her coat is rather wiry. She is a cute, sweet dog, but very shy right now. Our volunteers and staff will be working with her. Quinn was brought to our shelter after spending some time on the street, so may take an extra bit of love and kindness.” APSCA adoptions can be made at the shelter, 11901 S. Coulter, noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Call 806-622-0555, or visit www.amarillospcashelter.com or www.adoptapet.com.
This week, U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson announced the 2026 Congressional Art Competition winner for Texas’ Thirteenth Congressional District. This year’s theme is America 250, and winning pieces will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year. Shae Crawford of Denton and a student at Ryan High School, earned top honors for her oil pastel of an American Flag titled “Still Waving.” Her piece represents the courage and sacrifice of the brave Americans who have fought for generations to secure our freedoms and build this great nation. “Congratulations to Shae on winning the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for Texas’ Thirteenth Congressional District,” said Rep. Ronny Jackson. “I thank everyone who took part in this year’s competition, including the teachers who helped make the contest possible, and I’m excited to see Shea’s work displayed in our Nation’s Capitol.”
This month, HTeaO is once again partnering with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) to help advance the fight against childhood cancer. Beginning May 1, guests at HTeaO locations nationwide will have the opportunity to round up their total to the nearest dollar at checkout, with proceeds supporting ALSF’s work to fund pediatric cancer research and provide critical resources for families impacted by childhood cancer. Throughout the campaign, HTeaO will swap out its signature blue straws for yellow straws as a small but visible reminder of ALSF’s lemonade stand roots. For more, visit https://HTeaO.com.
Tickets are on sale for a one-night-only Memorial Day weekend concert featuring Jack Ingram on Saturday, May 23, at the Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon, kicking off the 60th season of the Texas Outdoor Musical. Opening the evening is local favorite Travis Roberts, bringing a high-energy set that showcases the talent and spirit of the Texas Panhandle music scene. The TEXAS Outdoor Musical production will run June 11 through Aug. 1, alongside additional programming including “Shakespeare in the Canyon” on Tuesday evenings in July. Reserve your seats for the concert at www.texas-show.com or by calling 806-651-2181.
ALLIANCE Credit Union opened a temporary branch location on Monday, May 4, at 4711 S. Soncy Rd. in Amarillo. The temporary branch will operate on the same property while the new permanent building is under construction, allowing continued service without interruption. The temporary branch will offer a full range of products and services, and team members will be on-site to assist with transactions and answer questions. Additional details, including hours of operation, are available at alliancecutx.com and on their social media channels.
Brown & Fortunato announced the opening of an office in Salt Lake City, Utah, expanding the firm’s growing national footprint and strengthening its ability to serve clients across the United States. Founded in 1995, the national practice has offices strategically located in Amarillo, Dallas, and Salt Lake City, and is even better positioned to provide seamless, nationwide legal service while maintaining the close attorney client relationships that define the firm’s culture.
Helping Her is a free art show and women’s health resource fair at the Don Harrington Discovery Center, happening Friday, May 29 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Funds from the art show will support free period products in DHDC’s bathrooms and by request at the front desk. Only DHDC’s Space Gallery will be open to interact with community organizations and view or purchase art. Their partner, Free Bleed 806, is accepting art show submissions through May 25. Art in the theme of dinosaurs or space is encouraged, but they’re accepting art on any topic. Email kendra@womenmarch.com to learn more.
Shaun Hardy Sr. of Farwell, earned a Master of Science in Transformational Leadership from University of Maryland Global Campus in winter 2026.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that applications are being accepted for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from wildfires in Potter, Armstrong, and Oldham counties that occurred Feb. 15 through April 11. ECP signup will end June 3. “The Farm Service Agency can help producers and landowners recover from natural disasters that impacted their operation,” said Adam Acker, FSA County Executive Director for Potter, Armstrong, and Oldham counties. “If you have an immediate need to clean up and restore your operation, please call our office before beginning any restoration activities in order to determine program eligibility and to request restoration practice approval before taking any action.” For more, contact the Potter-Armstrong County FSA Office at 806-468-8600 x2, the Oldham County FSA Office at 806-267-2178 x2, or visit farmers.gov/protection-recovery.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Research will host a wheat field day and plot tour on May 14 in Bushland. Registration for the free event will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the AgriLife Research Station, 2301 Experiment Station Road. The wheat field day will conclude before noon with the annual plot tour. Brent Auvermann, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M AgriLife High Plains Research and Extension Center, will open the event with a brief overview of the new center located in Canyon and how it ties in with the research being done at Bushland. For more information, contact Kevin Heflin, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist and assistant professor, Department of Soil and Crop Science, at kevin.heflin@ag.tamu.edu.
Technical Solutions, a leading Managed Technology Services Provider, announced the company has expanded their data discovery and classification solutions designed to help customers’ identify sensitive information, reduce un-necessary exposure, and strengthen compliance. Along with possible legal complications, the rise of AI tools adds another layer of urgency to this issue. “Our goal is to give organizations clarity and confidence,” said founder Gene Wells. “Once you know what data you have and who can access it, you can protect it properly – and that peace of mind is invaluable.” For more information, call (806) 352-1309 or visit www.askts.com.
Mews, the operating system for hospitality, announced that Llano Real Estate Group has selected Mews to power a growing portfolio of hospitality assets across Texas, including hotels, RV parks and short-term rentals. Llano Real Estate Group is rapidly growing its footprint, with nine properties including Cactus Cove Inn & Suites in Amarillo and multiple RV parks and short-term rentals. “Where we’re going as a business requires a completely different level of operational control,” said Matt Marrs, owner of Cactus Cove Inn & Suites and operator at Llano Real Estate Group. “With Mews, everything is faster, more intuitive and built to scale with us.”
Texas State University recognized Aiden Gonzales as the recipient of the Austin M. Salyer Community Service Award during the University Police Department’s (UPD) annual award ceremony on April 28.
The honor celebrates the life and legacy of Austin Salyer, a Bobcat remembered for his commitment to service, integrity, and compassion.
Established in 2023 by the TXST UPD in partnership with Austin’s parents, Bonnie and Rodney Salyer, and the nonprofit Leave No Victim Behind, the award recognizes a student who embodies Salyer’s spirit of selflessness and dedication to others. The endowed scholarship provides $1,000 each year to support a student committed to making a meaningful impact in their community.
A junior majoring in criminal justice with a minor in military science, Salyer was an active member of Alpha Sigma Phi and the TXST Army ROTC. He aspired to serve as a U.S. Army officer and pursue a career in law enforcement. Salyer’s life was tragically cut short on September 16, 2021. His guiding principle, “Do the Right Thing,” continues to inspire the TXST community.
The ceremony brought together university leaders, students, family members, and community partners to honor Gonzales and reflect on Salyer’s enduring legacy of service.
This story was originally part of KUT’s ATXplained Live show at Bass Concert Hall on October 29, 2025. Get tickets to our next show on May 21 here.
Anyone who knows me, knows I love Barton Springs. It feels like the water has magical properties. Even sacred properties.
So when Brendan Cavanagh asked about the it, I knew I needed to look into it.
“Why were the springs sacred before Uncle Billy showed up?” he asked. “And what was the Indigenous population’s relationship with them?”
By Uncle Billy, he means William Barton, the man who laid claim to the springs in 1837 when he settled there with his family and the people he enslaved.
I assumed Brendan’s question came from a place of love for the springs and general curiosity. But when I talked to him about his question, he mentioned the White Shaman mural, a piece of rock art that sits in the desert about 220 miles west of Austin. Archaeologists say the White Shaman was painted around 400 B.C. It’s really big — 26 feet long and 13 feet high.
Chester Leeds
/
Witte Museum, San Antonio Texas
“I learned that the springs are actually part of that mural,” Cavanagh said. “Which was astonishing to me.”
Archeologists think the mural shows a creation story. But some people think it’s even more than that.
Gary Perez is the chief of the Coahuiltecan/Pakahua Nation. He has come to believe that it not only tells a creation story, but that it’s also an ancient map of Central Texas.
A pictograph on the mural shows a curved line with four matching symbols that look like knives with gray handles and white blades coming off of it at regular intervals.
Chester Leeds
/
Witte Museum, San Antonio, Texas
Perez says that this pictograph represents four sacred springs: San Antonio Springs, San Marcos Springs, Comal Springs and Barton Springs. All of these springs are connected to the Edwards Aquifer, an underground network of caves and porous limestone.
Perez overlaid this part of the White Shaman mural out on a modern map with the help of a mapping expert.
“Then they did. And that was it,” Perez said. “Then we knew we were looking at a map for sure.”
Perez doesn’t think the White Shaman mural just a map, but also a calendar. He said it’s like the Mayan calendar, but for hunter-gatherers.
“These calendars exist everywhere, but this particular one is specific to Central Texas,” he said.
Perez sees the mural as a scientific tool.
There are people who agree with that interpretation of the White Shaman mural. But there are people who disagree, including Harry Shafer, a former curator of archeology at the Witte Museum, which manages the White Shaman site.
“We have a really good handle on the archeology of the Lower Pecos region and Central Texas,” Shafer said. “There’s no tie in Lower Pecos to Central Texas.”
So does the White Shaman mural depict four springs in Central Texas — including Barton Springs? Depends on whose science you believe.
Ancient history
What we do know for sure is that people have lived around Barton Springs for millennia. The archaeological record at Barton Springs goes back 13,000 years.
People were drawn to the area for its abundant water and the plant and animal life. But the people who lived around the springs back then weren’t the same people who lived at the springs when William Barton arrived.
We don’t even know the names of these ancient peoples. Did they have a sacred relationship with the springs? Maybe. We may never know the exact details.
But we do know something about the Indigenous people who came later.
In 1837, we know there were the Comanche, Tonkawa, Caddo, Lipan Apache and Coahuiltecan people in the area, among others. We know some of those people had a sacred relationship with the springs, but the accounts we have are from colonists.
These were all very different cultures who spoke different languages and believed different things.
By the time William Barton showed up, Europeans had already been in the area for 100 years. The Spanish had missions near Barton Springs in the 1700s. Their arrival brought sickness and death to the Indigenous population.
Barton lived in Austin during the Texas Republic, when many of the tribes that lived here were killed or forcibly removed.
Then, there were other ways that Native Americans were erased. At one point, a law was passed legally redesignating Native people as Mexican.
This campaign to erase Indigenous people in Texas worked, at least in our collective imagination as a state.
“In Texas there’s this sort of as assumption there’s no more Indians here,” said Craig Campbell, an anthropology professor at the University of Texas at Austin. “When, in fact, we have this absolutely huge population of Indigenous people that rarely gets recognized.”
Texas has the fifth-largest population of Indigenous people in the country. According to the U.S. Census, there are over 700,000 people in Texas who identity, at least in part, as Indigenous.
Barton Springs are still sacred
Some modern-day Indigenous Texans have their own sacred relationship with Barton Springs. Every August, a group of mostly women makes a pilgrimage to the four sacred springs, led by Gary Perez’s wife, Matilde Torres.
At each site, they commune with the water and offer prayers. They start at San Antonio Springs at dawn and end up at Barton Springs in the afternoon.
Diana Dos Santos has gone on the pilgrimage for the last three years.
She said it’s a long day, but it doesn’t really feel long.
“The whole day feels like it just merges into a short moment,” she said. “It’s like the whole world — the past, the present, everything — just merges into one moment. And when you’re present there — with your prayer, with your medicine, with the other sisters — it’s incredible. It’s magical.”
Support for ATXplained comes from H-E-B. Sponsors do not influence KUT’s editorial decisions.
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