HOUSTON – The rollout of Texas’ new Education Freedom Account program is off to a high-demand start, with more than 274,000 applications submitted in less than two months, according to the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) program.
Applications were accepted between Feb. 4 and March 31, 2026, and officials say all submissions have now been reviewed and sorted into priority tiers.
So far, more than 42,000 students in the highest priority group, Tier 1 applicants and their siblings, have already been awarded funding and notified. That includes 27,050 Tier 1 students and 15,592 siblings.
Program leaders say all eligible Tier 1 applicants and their siblings will receive funding, totaling approximately $415 million.
However, tens of thousands of families are still waiting to learn their status.
72,927 Tier 2 students are awaiting the lottery, awards, or placement on a waitlist
66,119 Tier 3 students are awaiting lottery and waitlisting
66,950 Tier 4 students are also awaiting lottery and waitlisting
Tier 4 applicants are further divided into:
13,246 students who attended public school during the 2024–25 school year
53,704 students who attended private school during the same period
Additionally, 25,400 applications were deemed ineligible.
TEFA officials announced that the next phase of the process is now underway, with a lottery for Tier 2 students set to begin this week. Award notifications will follow.
In a message to families, the TEFA team acknowledged the overwhelming demand and limited funding.
“While we are not able to fund every applicant, we are committed to keeping you informed throughout the process and ensuring transparency in how awards are distributed,” the statement read.
Families are encouraged to review the program’s lottery process and frequently asked questions online as the next round of selections begins.
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