The Texas House gave initial approval to its priority school voucher legislation early Thursday, marking an end to years of resistance at the lower chamber to proposals that would use taxpayer dollars for private schooling. Senate Bill 2 passed 85-63, largely along party lines.

In a seismic shift for Texas education that could have ramifications for decades, the state House signed off on a plan early Thursday to allow parents to use state dollars to pay for their children’s private school education.