California Senate Education Committee Votes Down School Choice Bill

The bill would have furthered President Donald Trump’s education agenda in California.

A school sign in Orange, Calif., on Aug. 15, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

California’s Senate Education Committee on Wednesday voted down a school choice bill in a 5–2 vote.

The California School Choice Flex Account Act of 2025 (Senate Bill 64) was introduced by state Sen. Shannon Grove, a Republican representing Bakersfield.

In California, school choice refers to programs that allow students to attend schools outside their designated attendance zones, including magnet schools, charter schools, homeschooling, and private schools. The bill would have allowed families to receive funds for tuition and education expenses at accredited schools of their choice, with a separate account for students with special needs.

It also would have allowed parents to choose which school their child attends, with their tax dollars following the student. Funds would have been allocated per school year, and unused balances would have been returned to the state’s general fund for K-12 education.

Grove said that schools of choice offer families more options and improve educational outcomes.

“The Senate Education Committee’s decision to kill SB 64 denies parents and students the chance to thrive in schools tailored to their needs,” Grove said in a March 19 statement following the vote. “Currently, when students are trapped in low-performing schools simply because of their zip code or in a school model that does not meet their needs the results are predictable—failure. When given a choice, it’s proven they excel. We will not stop fighting for that choice.”

Most Democrats on the State Education Committee opposed the bill, saying such a program would siphon funds away from the poorest schools and therefore students.

“While this bill provides funding for private school tuition, it does not cover the full cost, leaving low-income families with few real choices, while wealthier families benefit most,” state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, a Democrat, said.

If it had passed, Senate Bill 64 would have provided students in California with individualized Flex accounts, a School Choice Flex Account with $8,000 for tuition and education-related expenses, and created a Special Education Flex Account offering $16,000 for students with special needs. Funds would be available only for accredited educational institutions.

Grove said the bill would have put decision-making into the hands of parents, giving them more control over their children’s education.

California spends about $20,000 per student per year, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Black and Latino students, in particular, face challenges in meeting grade-level standards in English language arts and mathematics, according to the institute.

Grove said the state consistently ranks near the bottom in academic achievement among 4th and 8th graders.

“Despite this significant investment, many parents believe the current system fails to prepare students for college and careers,” Grove said in a Jan. 29 statement. “Many students must go to underperforming schools because their zip code determines the school they must attend.”

She added that policies often prohibit special education students from receiving funding assistance.

Grove has also introduced Senate Constitutional Amendment 1 (SCA 1), which would codify school choice flex accounts and special education flex accounts in the California Constitution.

It would require the Legislature to “encourage, by all suitable means, the promotion of intellectual, scientific, moral, and agricultural improvement,” the amendment states.

It remains under consideration by the Senate Rules Committee.

President Donald Trump’s executive order from Wednesday supports expanding educational options for students.

“It is the policy of my Administration to support parents in choosing and directing the upbringing and education of their children,” the president stated in his order.