Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today announced that more than 274,000 students applied for Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) during the program’s first year.
“Texas didn’t just meet expectations, we set the national record for year-one demand in a school choice program,” Hancock said. “Families across Texas made it clear they want a greater role in their child’s education, and they showed up in record numbers.”
The Comptroller’s office released a detailed breakdown (PDF) of the application pool, which shows:
- A record 43,000 students applied on the program’s first day, with tens of thousands of students applying in the final days before the March 31 deadline.
- Nearly three-quarters of applicants are from low- or middle-income Texas families.
- Nearly 30,000 applicants qualify for the first priority tier — low- or middle-income students with disabilities.
- Another 79,000 applicants qualify for the second priority tier — students in low-income households.
The Comptroller’s office is currently working with Odyssey, the program’s certified educational assistance organization, to verify students’ information before notifying families regarding awards later this month and distributing funds to student accounts in July.
Available year-one funding is expected to be exhausted within the second priority tier. A lottery will be used to allocate remaining funds within the second tier and to establish waitlist order for remaining students. The waitlist will be reported to the Texas Legislature, as required by statute, to inform future funding decisions.
Maintaining the integrity of the program remains a top priority. Parents, school personnel and members of the public should report any concerns about fraud or unlawful activity to tefa.watchdog@cpa.texas.gov
More information regarding TEFA is available at educationfreedom.texas.gov.
