In the inaugural sign-up period, Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) are posting record-breaking numbers, according to Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock.
For the 2026-27 school year, more than 8,000 students applied in the first hour, and more than 42,000 applied in the first day. At the three-week mark, applications had reached 130,000. More than 2,000 accredited private schools have registered to participate in TEFA, along with more than 200 other providers, including tutors and therapists. Comptroller Hancock has called it the nation’s largest school choice program from day one. The registration deadline is March 17.
The initiative allows families to use 85% of the statewide average state and local expenditure per student, based on average daily attendance from the previous school year. For 2026-27, the base award is $10,474 for most students. Students enrolled in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) may receive up to $30,000, while homeschooled students and others may receive $2,000.
During the first year, priority is given to students with disabilities from very low-income households, followed by students from low-income households. Students from median- or higher-income households may be admitted at a reduced 20% rate. The pre-kindergarten program prioritizes children who are non-English speaking, homeless, from low-income households, in foster care, or are children of military members, first responders or teachers. Funds may be used for tuition, fees, transportation, textbooks and uniforms.
Hancock and other supporters say the program expands parental choice and flexibility, allowing families to tailor educational spending to their children’s needs. Opponents, including public school advocates, argue the policy could divert funding from public schools, increase inequities and reduce oversight of taxpayer dollars.
Texas is implementing one of the largest universal education savings account programs in the country, and policymakers in other states are watching closely. Supporters nationally have pointed to Texas as a model for scaling school choice statewide, while critics say its size and structure will serve as a test case for how such programs affect public education systems. As the program moves from application numbers to actual enrollment and spending, its impact is likely to factor into education policy debates both in Texas and beyond.
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