Republican lawmakers and supporters say it will let parents pull their children out of poor-performing public schools.

Gov. Greg Abbott has signed the $1 billion controversial school choice bill into law, allowing for taxpayer money to be used to help qualifying students pay for private school tuition. "Today is the culmination of a movement that has swept across the state and our country," Abbott said Saturday.

Families in Texas are now among a growing number of states who can use public funds to pay for a nonpublic education, including private schools and homeschooling. Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on May 3 signed a school choice bill into law,