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4h ago

Texas School-Choice Program Surges Past 46,000 Applications in Early Days

The $1 billion TEFA program allocates awards by priority tiers rather than first come.

The sun sets on the state Capitol in Austin, on May 27, 2021. People gathered outside of the Governors Mansion to mourn the freedoms taken from Texans this legislative session, such as voting rights, reproductive freedoms, LGBTQ equality, gun violence, quality and affordable health care, and censorship in education.

Overview

  • Applications exceeded 46,000 by late morning on Feb. 5, and officials at a Thursday night meeting said around 50,000 had arrived over the first two days as they cautioned a waitlist is possible.
  • More than 42,000 students applied on the first day, setting a new record for an initial launch of a school-choice program.
  • About 80% of first-day applicants indicated plans to attend a participating private school, while roughly 19.7% signaled other options such as homeschooling.
  • Verified data show 34% of applicants come from households below 200% of the federal poverty level and 38% fall between 200% and 500%, with 10%, 29% and 33% placed in the top three priority tiers.
  • The application window remains open through March 17 at 11:59 p.m. CT, and awards will follow program priority rules under the state’s $1 billion cap.