Parents can now apply for a new voucher-like program that gives eligible families state funds to homeschool their children or enroll them in over two dozen El Paso private schools.<\/p>\n
Applications for the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, an initiative that provides state-funded, flexible education savings accounts for students to pay for private school tuition, opened Wednesday. Applications close March 17.<\/p>\n
As of Wednesday, 27 private schools in the El Paso region are listed in the state\u2019s database as eligible to accept vouchers under the program.<\/p>\n
Eleven focus on teaching middle and elementary school, eight offer high school-level classes, and six teach all grade levels from kindergarten through high school. Eight are daycares that offer pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.<\/p>\n
More than half of the private schools in El Paso approved for the program are religious institutions, most of which are Christian or Catholic. Eight, or about 30%, of schools in the program are owned by the Catholic Diocese of El Paso, which operates some of the county\u2019s oldest schools.<\/p>\n
Diocese schools Superintendent Blanca Garcia said the program will offer relief to families who choose a faith-based education for their children, noting that some already rely on income-based scholarships or grants. She did not say how many students are under those assistance programs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be a blessing for them to have this. And then for those that are paying out of pocket, I think it\u2019ll free up that money for them to do other things,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, leaders of El Paso\u2019s only Islamic school, the Palm Tree Academy, have been left in limbo after applying for the program.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7495.jpg\")
Palm Tree Academy officials said they want the school, located at the El Paso Islamic Center, to take part in the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, but have not heard back from the state after applying.
(Claudia Lorena Silva\/El Paso Matters)<\/p>\n
Palm Tree Academy Director Nazmi Masoud said the school, located at the El Paso Islamic Center, wants to take part in the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, but neither he, nor the school\u2019s accreditors, Cognia, have heard back from the state.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter so many different messages that have been sent, no one is responding to us. So, I\u2019m not really sure how it\u2019s going to be,\u201d Masoud told El Paso Matters.<\/p>\n
Competing for students<\/p>\n
El Paso\u2019s Catholic schools have seen a decline in enrollment in recent years, primarily spurred by low birth rates, Garcia said.<\/p>\n
Diocese officials said their schools\u2019 enrollment declined from over 3,000 students during the 2016-17 school year to 2,000 the current school year.<\/p>\n
Garcia hopes the voucher program will boost enrollment in its schools, but worries they will have to compete for funding with the hundreds of private schools in large metropolitan areas across Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If demand for the program exceeded the $1 billion approved by lawmakers during the most recent legislative session, the state plans to prioritize low-income students and students with disabilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe anticipate an increase in enrollment, that\u2019s really our goal. How many students? Well, we won\u2019t know until later,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be competitive, and it\u2019s going to be a lottery, so we\u2019re encouraging our parents that the sooner they apply, the better.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth areas combined house over 1,000 private schools eligible for Texas Education Savings Accounts, the state database shows.<\/p>\n
The voucher-like program became available as school districts throughout El Paso also face declining enrollment, raising concern among public school advocates that it will create more competition.<\/p>\n
Garcia said she understands those concerns, but does not think it will make schools any more competitive than they already are.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/MG_0826.jpg\")
Eight schools operated by the Catholic Diocese of El Paso are eligible to receive student vouchers under the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program. (Courtesy Catholic Diocese of El Paso)<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that enrollment is low across the board, for private and public schools, means it is going to be competitive because we\u2019re fighting for the same pool of students,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cI don\u2019t think this program is going to be a reason why we say it increased the competition. We\u2019ve always had to compete for our kids.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Islamic private school left in limbo<\/p>\n
While Palm Tree Academy officials waited to find out if they could take part in the voucher program, the state\u2019s comptroller\u2019s office in December sought permission to block some Islamic institutions from doing so.<\/p>\n
The comptroller\u2019s office, which administers the program funds, pointed to some institutions hosting know your rights events run by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR. A month earlier, Gov. Greg Abbott designated CAIR, a Muslim civil rights group, as a terror group.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in late January said the comptroller can exclude private schools<\/a> from using the voucher program if they violate laws banning material support for foreign terrorist groups or are owned by a foreign entity.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1B4A0473-scaled-e1770305901512-1024x516.jpg\")
Eight schools operated by the Catholic Diocese of El Paso are eligible to receive student vouchers under the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program. (Courtesy Catholic Diocese of El Paso)<\/p>\n