Officials say funding will be allocated to eligible families through a lottery, prioritizing low- and middle-income families and students with disabilities.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has received more than 160,000 applicants for the state’s new private school voucher program as the deadline approaches, officials said.
Families have until March 17 to apply for the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, from which eligible families may receive up to $10,400 in public funds to go toward private school tuition.
According to Private School Review, the average annual cost for private school tuition in Texas is $13,923.
“Demand is strong for the record-setting launch of school choice in Texas,” Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock said in a statement Monday. “While there is still some time to apply, we want to make sure families don’t miss out on the opportunity to participate in this historic program’s first year, so we’re encouraging folks to avoid waiting until the last minute and go ahead and apply now.”
Once the deadline is passed, officials say funding will be allocated to eligible families through a lottery, prioritizing low- and middle-income families and students with disabilities.
The waitlist for the program will be reported to the Texas Legislature to determine future funding, officials say.
“We’re expecting to sell out in year one,” Hancock said in a statement. “We are also laying a strong foundation for school choice in Texas to flourish for years to come.”
More than 2,200 schools are signed up to participate in the program, officials say. Families don’t have to select a school when applying. More schools are expected to enter the program on a rolling basis.
Detailed data on the program is available here.