Tuesday is the final day to apply for Texas private school voucher program

Tuesday is the last day to enroll your child in the state’s new private school voucher program after a judge ordered an extension.  The program is transforming how students across the state access tailored learning options.  According to the state comptroller’s office, less than half of applicants are likely to be accepted.  Applications will be prioritized through a need-and-income based lottery system, with the highest priority given to students with disabilities and lower-income families.

For this year, the program is capped at $1 billion.  The number of students remaining on the program’s wait-list could influence how much state lawmakers choose to spend on education savings accounts when they return to the Capitol in 2027.

So far, more than 257,000 students have applied for the program to receive vouchers worth $10,000 per child.  The Texas Education Freedom Accounts help cover private school tuition or specialized education services, including the homeschool option.

As of Monday, March 23, over 500 students who live in the Fredericksburg Independent School District (FISD) have applied for state grants that will subsidize their private education costs, according to the Texas Comptroller’s office.  Past studies of voucher programs in other states, such as Florida, stated that more than 75% of accepted applicants were already sending their children to private schools.

The application window closes tonight at 11:59 p.m.