Abbott to Texas universities: Freeze tuition

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced Wednesday he has sent letters to all public universities in the state saying he would not support tuition raises over the next two years.

His office spoke to the board of regents at every Texas university system, according to the letter, and reached an agreement that tuition at the schools would stay frozen until the end of the 2026-27 school year.

“Texans face significant rising costs due to inflation. When inflation and other economic pressures burden household budgets, our public universities must take every step possible to ease the financial burden on our students and their families,” Abbott said in the letter.

In 2023, he signed into law a measure that tuition could not go up until after the 2024-25 school year.

“As this tuition freeze expires, let me be clear: I will not support any tuition increase at any public higher education institution in the upcoming biennium,” Abbott said.

He touted the increase in state funding Texas has given to universities, allocating $700 million in the last session for the schools, according to local outlet KVUE.

“These efforts reflect our commitment to ensuring that higher education remains accessible and affordable for all Texans. When all Texans have access to quality and affordable education, they can earn better wages, meet workforce qualifications, and experience a higher quality of life. I will ensure college affordability remains a top priority for the state as we head into the next legislative session,” Abbott concluded in the letter.