Those students are among the 42,600 who were approved for education savings accounts, which will provide funds toward private school tuition.
The awards released this week went to students receiving special education services and their siblings, the highest-priority tier for Texas students, and amounted to the first $400 million of the $1 billion program.
About half of the 42,644 students who received awards were in public schools in the 2024-25 school year. In addition, half of the students come from households that make less than 200% of the federal poverty line, or $66,000 in annual income for a family of four.
The families of more than 250,000 students have applied for an education savings account.
The areas within the Houston and Dallas school districts had the highest numbers of students who received awards, 1,558 and 1,313 students, respectively.
Elsewhere in the Austin area, 356 students living in Round Rock ISD boundaries, 354 students in Leander ISD, 272 students in Hays CISD and 251 students in Georgetown ISD also received awards.
The vouchers will provide students up to about $10,500 toward private school tuition per year, but students who receive special education services can get up to $30,000. Homeschooled students can receive up to $2,000 for tutoring, courses or materials.
The program prioritizes children with disabilities from families living at or below 500% of the federal poverty line — about $165,000 for a family of four. The next priority group is children from families living at 200% of the federal poverty line. Children from families in other income brackets fall in other priority tiers.
Proponents of the program say the accounts give families more options and create a competative environment, forcing schools to improve.
Starting Monday, the comptroller will draw a lottery for low-income students, who are in the second tier of priority for the program. That lottery will also assign a waitlist to any students who don’t get awards.
Families have until July 15 to accept their vouchers.