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2d ago

Texas Notifies Nearly 96,000 Students in First ESA Awards After Second Lottery

Random selection decided awards following record demand.

Gov. Greg Abbott signs SB2 authorizing educational savings accounts (ESAs) during a ceremony at the Governor's Mansion in Austin on May 3, 2025.
Students line up to cast their votes in a primary election to choose candidates for the November midterm elections at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in El Paso, Texas, U.S., March 3, 2026.
More than 500 students who live within Austin ISD's boundaries were awarded a private school voucher as part of the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program's second round lottery. 
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Overview

  • The comptroller's office, which began second‑round notifications Monday, said more than 53,000 low‑income students were selected, bringing total award notices to about 95,000–96,000.
  • State officials say 274,183 students applied for the $1 billion Education Savings Account program, so a third‑party lottery run by Odyssey set who received Tier 2 awards and the waitlist order.
  • Families who got notices must confirm a private school placement or choose homeschooling by July 15, and they have 30 days to appeal eligibility or funding, which could free awards for waitlisted students.
  • State data show most Tier 2 applicants were not switching from public schools, with about 65% already in private school and 35% homeschooled before applying.
  • The rollout follows an earlier award to about 42,644 students with disabilities and siblings, and a separate lawsuit from Islamic schools over alleged exclusion has a court hearing set for May 8.