The Brief
- The application portal for the state’s $1.1 billion Texas Education Freedom Accounts officially opens Feb. 4, with a deadline of March 17 to accommodate a maximum of 90,000 students.
- Houston has emerged as the program’s epicenter, surpassing Dallas and San Antonio in early participation and provider availability.
- Awards range from $10,500 to $30,000 per student, though the program remains highly divisive as critics warn it will divert critical resources away from the state’s public school system.
HOUSTON – Applications for Texas’ controversial new school voucher program are set to open in early February, with Houston emerging as the primary location for the state’s massive shift toward private education funding.
The Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA), a $1.1 billion initiative championed by Governor Greg Abbott, will begin accepting applications through its official portal on Feb. 4. Families will have until March 17 to apply for the program, which is currently capped at 90,000 students statewide.
Texas school vouchers: Houston leads in participation
By the numbers:
Early data indicates that Houston is the epicenter of the program’s rollout. As of Jan. 16, 304 private schools and vendors in the Houston area have signed up to accept state funds, outpacing Dallas (266) and San Antonio (134).…