Several Coastal Bend private schools have signed up to participate in the state’s new education savings account program, also known as school vouchers.
The Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, approved by state lawmakers last year, will pay for educational costs for accepted Texas children, including private school tuition and home school costs starting with the 2026-26 school year.
Participating children who attend an approved private school or pre-K program will receive $10,474. Participating children with disabilities are eligible for more funding, up to $30,000. Home-schooled children may be eligible to receive $2,000.
Applications for families to receive funding open on Feb. 4.
Previous Caller-Times reporting includes further information about the program, including how families can use funds and how applicants will be prioritized. The Caller-Times has also reported on the role individualized education programs play in the school voucher program’s prioritization rules for students with disabilities and impacts on public school special education evaluations.
Here’s where Coastal Bend families can use school voucher funding
A map of participating schools statewide is available online at finder.educationfreedom.texas.gov. According to the website, more schools will be added regularly.
The Caller-Times has contacted each Coastal Bend school on the list to confirm participation and compile information for interested families about each school and the potential cost of attendance.
Caller-Times reporting shows that at many local private schools, the state’s school voucher program appears to fully cover annual tuition costs. When considering cost, families should be aware that many private schools also charge fees for applications, registrations, enrollment, student activities or supplies. Some schools also require fundraising or volunteer commitments from families.
Depending on grade level, tuition alone could exceed the amount covered by the state program, including at St. James Episcopal School, Incarnate Word Academy and Annapolis Christian Academy. However, many of the participating schools offer financial aid, scholarships or discounts, with opportunities varying at each school.
Private schools differ from public schools — private schools are not assessed by the Texas Education Agency’s school accountability system. This means that there is less publicly available information that parents can use to evaluate academic outcomes at private schools compared to public and charter schools.
Additionally, private schools do not have to accept all students and do not have to meet the same standards for providing a free education to students with disabilities.
But to participate in the Texas Education Freedom Account program, the state has required that private schools be accredited by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission or an accreditor recognized by the Texas Education Agency and administer a nationally norm-referenced assessment, which refers to an assessment that compares students’ progress to that of other students.
Scan this QR code to see more information about Corpus Christi-area private schools, including their tuition and fees.
Scan this QR code to see more information about Corpus Christi-area private schools, including their tuition and fees
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: These private schools have joined Texas school voucher program so far