<\/p>\n
The Texas Education Freedom Account program hosted a free school fair to connect Dallas-area families with private schools at J. Erik\u00a0Jonsson Central Library in Dallas on May 17, 2026.<\/p>\n
Steve Hamm\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
Texas\u2019 school voucher-like program<\/a> promised students with disabilities up to $30,000 to pay for private schooling. Out of 28,700 students with special needs, fewer than 25 received the full amount, records show.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Texas Education Freedom Accounts<\/a>, a $1 billion program launching this fall, touted the \u201c$30,000\u201d figure on flyers, on its website<\/a>, in news releases. But the vast majority were awarded less than $20,000, according to records dated June 23 and provided to The Dallas Morning News.\u00a0<\/p>\n The average amount awarded to students with special needs was $16,000, according to TEFA. Yet tuition at private schools in the\u00a0D-FW area can reach far above that \u2014 sometimes over $40,000.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Both sides of the school choice debate have long wrestled with how to best serve students with special needs<\/a>. Politicians pitched TEFA as a way out for families dissatisfied with public schools. However, these distribution numbers, critics say, call into question whether those families will actually be able to get out.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt just seemed impossible that the math would work,\u201d said Steven Aleman, senior policy specialist at Disability Rights Texas. \u201cThe $30,000 figure was very arbitrary. \u2026 It may have been very misleading to families who think, \u2018Well, I\u2019ll be getting what seems to be a generous amount.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The awarded amount is based on how much their public school district would be allotted for a student with special needs. The state tried its best to communicate that to parents, said Travis Pillow, a spokesperson for TEFA.\u00a0<\/p>\n On some informational materials, therein lies the disclaimer<\/a>: \u201cMost students will receive less than the maximum.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThat round number of $30,000 can sometimes stick with people,\u201d Pillow said. \u201cBut it was an \u2018up to,\u2019 and that is really important.\u201d<\/p>\n See the distribution of award amounts\u00a0<\/p>\n The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, which runs TEFA, has awarded funding to nearly 110,000 students<\/a> as of June. Nearly a quarter of a million students applied. The average amount awarded to first tier recipients was $16,000, according to the office.<\/p>\n Records show 2,340 recipients were awarded between $10,475 and $14,999. Roughly 10,430 students fell within the $15,000 and $19,999 range. About 220 students were awarded more than $20,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Only 20 families received between $25,000 and $30,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nearly 7,360 students in the first tier received the standard amount of $10,474. Applicants could also opt for homeschooling<\/a>, and about 8,370 accepted the $2,000 award to educate their child at home.<\/p>\n How is the award amount determined?\u00a0<\/p>\n The TEFA award is calculated based on how much it would have cost the district to accommodate a particular child\u2019s needs. To apply, parents attached their child\u2019s individualized education plan, or IEP, a legally binding plan that outlines how the school will provide specialized services. For example, a student may receive speech therapy or spend time in a separate classroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe were not using discretion to say this child gets this amount, this child gets that amount,\u201d Pillow said. \u201cThe Texas Legislature \u2026 wanted to create some measure of funding parity between the students who attend public schools and the students who are participating in a school choice program.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The size of a school district plays a factor. A larger district was associated with a smaller voucher award, the Houston Chronicle<\/a> reported. To calculate the award amount, TEFA relies on a state formula that considers subsidies for smaller and mid-sized districts.\u00a0<\/p>\n Take a student who spends more than 60% of their school day in a special education classroom. In Dallas ISD, that student would qualify for<\/a> $15,700 in TEFA funds. But one in Garner ISD, a rural school district 80 miles west of Dallas, sees $21,000.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat students receive through the public school funding formula for special education has historically been a bit of a black box,\u201d Pillow said. \u201cWe are shining a light into the special education formula and creating visibility and awareness for parents.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Is $16,000 enough?\u00a0<\/p>\n Dee Carney, director of the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency,\u00a0has heard from families who discovered their awarded amount wasn\u2019t enough to cover the tuition at their ideal private school. After reviewing more than 100 voucher-approved private schools, the organization found private schools don\u2019t always publicly post their tuition, and they can raise prices whenever they want, she said.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s disappointing. That\u2019s confusing to public school families who haven\u2019t had to navigate the voucher marketplace,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n