The numbers alone carry their own velocity: 42,000 applications on the first day, 160,000 a month in, and by Monday at 11:59 p.m. Central Time, the window shuts on the inaugural year of Texas Education Freedom Accounts — the state’s first education savings account program, created by Senate Bill 2 and fueled by a $1 billion legislative appropriation. “Demand is strong for the record-setting launch of school choice in Texas,” Texas Comptroller Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock said in a March 9 press release.
Houston ISD led the way with 7,553, followed by Dallas ISD with 5,267 and Fort Bend ISD with 4,755, as of March 13.
The program is administered through the Comptroller’s office with vendor Odyssey handling logistics, and offers $10,474 for the 2026-27 school year to students attending an approved private school, up to $30,000 for students with disabilities who have an IEP on file with TEA by the deadline, and $2,000 for homeschooled students. It is explicitly not first-come, first-served. Families can apply at any time during the application window without affecting their child’s chances of receiving funding. If demand exceeds the billion-dollar pot, a lottery within priority tiers determines who gets in.
More than 2,200 schools have already signed up to participate. “We’re expecting to sell out in year one,” Texas Comptroller Hancock said, adding that his office will report the waitlist to the Legislature to push for expanded funding. Award notifications begin in early April, with the first 25% of approved funds available by July 1.
Apply at www.educationfreedom.texas.gov before Monday, March 17, at 11:59 p.m. CT.