The window to apply for the state’s new Education Freedom Accounts school vouchers closes at 11:59 p.m. March 17, according to officials.
Eligible families can receive up to $10,000 per child for private-school tuition and $2,000 per child for homeschooling expenses.
Students with disabilities can receive up to $30,000.
“Gone are the days that families are limited to only the school assigned by government. The day has arrived that empowers parents to choose the school that’s best for their child,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a prepared release.
Applications are submitted through the portal at educationfreedom. texas.gov/.
Parents need to provide digital copies of students’ birth certificates, proof of residency and household income.
Notification of funding will begin in early April with about 25% of funds distributed July 1, officials said.
If application requests exceed the $1 billion budget, priority will be given to low-income families and students with disabilities, state officials said.
Abbott signed Senate Bill 2, now known as the “school voucher bill,” into law May 2025. The Legislature also passed House Bill 2 in June which set a record $8 billion in public-school funding, according to lawmakers.
SB 2 established a $1 billion Education Savings Account, which is the largest in the nation and a first for Texas with funds becoming available for the 2026-27 school year. Detractors of the bill say taxpayer money will be used to pay for private-school tuition that most families could pay on their own and also hurt public school districts.
Proponents say it gives parents an opportunity to provide their children with a better education.
