Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced on April 2 that more than 274,000 students applied for Texas Education Freedom Accounts 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.”
According to the Comptroller’s office, a detailed breakdown of the application pool shows that a record 43,000 students applied on the program’s first day. Tens of thousands more submitted applications before the March 31 deadline. Nearly three-quarters of applicants are from low- or middle-income families in Texas. The data also indicates that nearly 30,000 applicants qualify for the first priority tier—low- or middle-income students with disabilities—while another 79,000 qualify for the second priority tier as students in low-income households. All figures are preliminary and based on information provided by applicants.
The Comptroller’s office is working with Odyssey, the certified educational assistance organization for TEFA, to verify student information before notifying families about awards later this month and distributing funds to student accounts in July. Year-one funding is expected to be exhausted within the second priority tier; a lottery will allocate remaining funds within this group and establish waitlist order for other students. The waitlist will be reported to the Texas Legislature as required by statute to inform future funding decisions.
Maintaining program integrity remains a top priority, says Hancock. Parents, school personnel and members of the public are encouraged to report concerns about fraud or unlawful activity related to TEFA.
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts is responsible for tax collection, revenue estimation and state treasury management as chief financial officer for Texas, according to the official website. The agency manages more than $150 billion in state assets through initiatives such as the Treasury Safekeeping Trust and supports operations through 54 field offices nationwide with approximately 2,955 full-time equivalent staff. More details about TEFA can be found at educationfreedom.texas.gov and on the official roster page.