Overview
- After the March 31 application deadline, the Texas Comptroller reported 274,183 submissions for Education Freedom Accounts, far outpacing funding that leaders estimate will cover roughly 90,000 to 100,000 students.
- Officials say money will cover all students in Tier 1 and then run out within Tier 2, with nearly 30,000 applicants in Tier 1 and about 79,000 in Tier 2 before lotteries set awards and waitlists.
- About 72,000 applicants attended public schools last year, which means most who applied already go to private school or homeschool, and new data show the pool is 45% White, 23% Hispanic, and 12% Black.
- Pre-K drew the most interest with 36,666 applications, yet just over half were ruled ineligible under rules that limit vouchers to children who meet specific need-based criteria such as low income or military status.
- Families will start receiving award notices in April and funds are slated to be available in July, while federal lawsuits over the state’s initial handling of Islamic schools continue after a judge extended the application window.