San Antonio families could soon use state dollars to pay for tuition at most private Catholic schools in the area.
The Archdiocese of San Antonio said it will opt into the state’s new education savings account program, which sets aside $1 billion for qualifying families to pay for private school tuition, homeschool and other education-related costs.
“Across the archdiocese, schools are preparing to welcome many new families through the launch of this effort,” diocese spokesperson Jordan Mcmorrough said in a statement. “Recently passed legislation was the result of hard work from many people through the years, who have been consistently advocating to give parents a true choice in education for their children.”
Education savings accounts, also known as ESAs or school vouchers, were passed by state lawmakers in May after years of voucher legislation getting shot down in the Texas House.
Vouchers also come after several Catholic schools in San Antonio were forced to close in recent years due to “immediate” financial need and declining enrollment at some campuses.
Despite those closures, student enrollment in Catholic schools has actually gone up since 2021 by about 6% in San Antonio and 3% across the nation, even as the number of U.S. adults still following the faith has decreased, said Jason King, the Beirne Chair and Director of the Center for Catholic Studies at St. Mary’s University.
Students at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School applaud for Gov. Greg Abbott during a visit touting his “Parents Matter” initiative in 2023. Credit: Bria Woods / San Antonio Report
King, an expert on Catholic education, said vouchers could help bridge the cost gap for families interested in Catholic schools who couldn’t afford it before.
It also helps that Catholic schools have historically tried to keep costs down, he added. In fact, most Catholic school tuition costs in San Antonio fall below the average amount state officials predict families will get from a voucher, $10,000, and the additional funds could also pay for uniforms, textbooks and other fees.
However, tuition rates at private schools broadly tend to increase as children grow older and move onto middle or high school.
Currently, there are 9,000 students enrolled at schools across more than 30 schools in the San Antonio diocese, and that number could increase by the next school cycle.
“For years, many Catholic families have wanted to send their children to a faith-filled, academically excellent Catholic school — but tuition made it feel out of reach. That’s about to change,” the diocese said on its website.
The comptroller’s office, responsible for the state’s finances, is overseeing rulemaking and rollout for the voucher program.
Families interested in using a voucher could apply for one as soon as February, according to the Texas Tribune, potentially using vouchers to pay for private school tuition for the 2026-2027 school year.