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Gov. has notified the Texas Legislature that a third special session will begin on Oct. 9.

A Sept. 26 letter signed by Abbott and addressed to Lt. Gov. and House Speaker , did not indicate the focus of this special session. But the governor has said repeatedly the next special session would focus on public education, including the issues of school vouchers and public school funding.

Abbott鈥檚 decision comes nearly four months after lawmakers failed this year to either allocate new money to help school districts make ends meet amid rampant inflation and a volatile economy, or reach an agreement on 鈥渟chool choice,鈥� a moniker for proposals that would allow parents to use taxpayer dollars to pay for their children鈥檚 private schooling. School choice has been one of Abbott鈥檚 top legislative priorities this year.

Lawmakers are to return to Austin on Oct. 9 at 1 p.m. This year鈥檚 regular legislative session ended in a stalemate between the House and Senate over education savings accounts, a voucher-like program that would allow parents access to a state-managed account to pay for private school tuition and other educational expenses.

The Senate tried different ways to pass an education savings account program 鈥� even tacking it on to the only school finance bill the House advanced during the session 鈥� but Democrats and rural Republicans blocked it from moving forward in the lower chamber.

In the end, school districts have paid the price. Many school officials have had to adopt, meaning their expenditures outweigh their revenues. Some school districts have dipped into their savings to offer teachers minimal raises, balance their budgets or simply to keep Others are considering all together to save money.

The relationship between the House and Senate was also after the Senate acquitted Attorney General Ken Paxton on impeachment charges brought on by the House, which could make it even more difficult for the chambers to reach an agreement on school vouchers. But Abbott that if lawmakers fail to pass a school choice proposal, he won鈥檛 hesitate to bring lawmakers back. And he promised political consequences for those who get in the way.

鈥淚f we do not win in that first special session, we will have another special special session and we鈥檒l come back again,鈥� Abbott in a tele-town hall about the issue. 鈥淎nd then if we don鈥檛 win that time, I think it鈥檚 time to send this to the voters themselves.鈥�

This article originally appeared in at .

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

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