(The Lion) — More than 46,000 students have applied for Texas Education Freedom Accounts, the state’s new school choice program, breaking Tennessee’s record for the most applications in a single day.
The Texas Comptroller’s Office received 42,000 applications in the 24 hours after the window opened Wednesday, besting Tennessee’s total of 33,000 last year. The window will remain open until March 17, and no preference will be given to early applicants over those who apply later.
“This is not a first-come, first-served program,” the TEFA website says. “You can apply anytime during the application window without affecting your child’s chances of receiving funding.”
Priority will go to students with disabilities, followed by children from households earning 200% or less of the federal poverty level, or about $66,000 for a family of four. Next are children from families earning less than 500% of the poverty level, followed by families earning more than that amount.
Successful applicants will receive $10,474 toward their education, or “85% of the estimated statewide average” spent per public school student, as determined by the Texas Education Agency. Students with disabilities can receive up to $30,000, while homeschool students will receive up to $2,000.
The state allocated $1 billion for the program’s first year, enough to fund about 90,000 scholarships. It will be the largest first-year school choice program in the nation and already one of the largest overall.
Scholarship decisions are expected in early April. Families will have until June 1 to indicate which school a child will attend, and funds will be released July 1, according to the website. About 1,700 private schools have signed up to participate for the 2026-27 school year.
“With Texas Education Freedom Accounts, more parents can choose the learning environment that’s best for their child and more students will be able to reach their unique potential,” said Gov. Greg Abbott, who advocated for the program. “I encourage Texas families to apply for the program, which puts parents in the driver’s seat of their child’s education. This program puts Texas on the pathway to become the No. 1 state for education.”
To participate, families must prove their child “is a citizen or national of the United States or lawfully admitted into the United States,” be eligible for public school and live in Texas.
