Particle.news
Download on the App Store
17 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

Texas Opens Applications for $1 Billion Education Freedom Accounts

Applications are due March 17 through the comptroller-run portal, with priority based on income tiers plus disability status if requests exceed the $1 billion cap.

Dana Altamirano reads “The Wild Robot” to fourth graders at West Avenue Elementary School in Waco, on April 5, 2024.
Carrie Brown, 6, plays with her Digital tablet at during class at Brentwood Christian School on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Brentwood is one of the Austin-area private schools eligible for Texas' new education savings account program.
Image
Image

Overview

  • The program offers about $10,500 per private-school student, up to $30,000 for students with disabilities, and $2,000 for homeschoolers for approved education expenses.
  • The Texas Comptroller’s Office manages the accounts with vendor Odyssey, and more than 1,600 private schools have opted in statewide, including hundreds in the Houston area.
  • If demand outstrips funding, the state will use a prioritized lottery; students already in private school or homeschooling may apply, and those in public school must unenroll to receive funds.
  • Families will begin receiving award notices in April, with at least 25% of funds available by July 1, 50% by October, and the remainder by April 2027.
  • School eligibility reviews continue following an attorney general opinion allowing the comptroller to bar campuses allegedly tied to terrorists or foreign adversaries, while experts warn families of students with disabilities that private schools are not required to follow IEPs under IDEA.