# School Choice in Texas: 274,000 Families Applied. Now Let's Make Room. Published: 2026-10-27T01:19:10.41+00:00 Original: https://www.halefortexas.com/blog/school-choice-texas-2026 This fall, for the first time, Texas families can use state money to pay for private school tuition. The demand surprised even supporters: more than 274,000 students applied, about 122,000 were offered a seat, and 85,344 enrolled. If your family is on the waitlist, or wondering whether to apply next year, here's where things stand. **Texas education savings accounts: how the new program works** Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 2 on May 3, 2025, creating Texas Education Freedom Accounts with $1 billion for the 2026–27 school year. The State Comptroller runs it. **Texas Education Freedom Accounts, 2026–27** - **Private school account:** $10,474 per student - **Students with disabilities:** up to $30,000 - **Home-school account:** up to $2,000 - **Applied:** 274,000+ (248,000 eligible) - **Confirmed enrolled:** 85,344 - **Waitlisted:** 121,000+ - **Low-income share of participants:** 80% - **Participants living in Houston ISD:** 3,327 (most of any district) - **Participants living in Fort Bend ISD:** 2,024 Sources: Office of the Governor (https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-signs-landmark-school-choice-legislation-into-law); Community Impact, Aug 4, 2026 (https://communityimpact.com/bellaire-meyerland-west-university/texas-legislature/85k-students-will-use-new-texas-education-freedom-accounts-this-school-year/). Seats went first to students with disabilities in families earning up to 500% of the federal poverty line (about $165,000 for a family of four), then to families under 200% (about $66,000). Fewer than 30 families above that line got in. The program is reaching the families it was written for, and it ran out of room fast. **School choice in Houston: why the demand is here** Houston ISD has been under state management since June 2023, extended to at least June 2027. The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston runs 59 Catholic schools with about 22,700 students, whose families pay tuition on top of property taxes. More Houston ISD families are using the new accounts than families in any other district in Texas. **The federal school choice tax credit starts in January** Congress added a second door in July 2025. Starting January 1, 2027, anyone can give up to $1,700 a year to a nonprofit scholarship organization and take it as a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit. States had to opt in; Texas announced it would on December 10, 2025, and is on the IRS's list of participating states. Families earning up to 300% of area median income qualify, which in Harris County is roughly $300,000 for a family of four. That money doesn't come out of the state's $1 billion. It's new scholarship dollars from private donors, and it could start shrinking that 121,000-family waitlist next year. **Alexander Hale's plan: parents, not ZIP codes** Parents are the first educators of their children. Alexander believes parents, not ZIP codes, should decide where children learn, and that competition drives improvement in education the way it does in every other sector. In Congress, he would: - **Defend the federal tax credit.** The first federal school choice tax credit became law in 2025, and Texas takes part when it launches in January 2027. Alexander will defend it against repeal and vote to expand it. - **Back every tool.** Education savings accounts, tax-credit scholarships, individual tax credits and vouchers: he would vote to expand each. - **No backdoor regulation.** Public money must not bring curriculum mandates, testing or reporting burdens into private schools or homeschools. - **Integrity rules on public funds.** No money to institutions that commit fraud, incite violence or are tied to designated terrorist groups. The rules turn on conduct and apply to every religion equally, which keeps the programs constitutional under Espinoza (2020) and Carson v. Makin (2022). - **Protect homeschool freedom.** The state's interest is that children are educated, not how. Texas has treated homeschools as private schools since Leeper v. TEA; Alexander opposes any new federal rules for them. - **Keep Washington out of curriculum.** Shrink the Department of Education and send its money to Texas as block grants (https://www.halefortexas.com/priorities/local), and expand vocational and career pathways for students who aren't headed to college. - **Open the books to parents.** Parents should be able to see curriculum, library materials and school policies, and no school should withhold information about a child from that child's parents. Rep. Fletcher voted against the Parents Bill of Rights Act (H.R. 5) on March 24, 2023, a bill to guarantee parents could see curriculum and library lists. **Frequently asked questions** **What is school choice in Texas?** Since 2026–27, the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program gives eligible families $10,474 per student for private school (more for students with disabilities) or up to $2,000 for home-schooling. **How do education savings accounts in Texas work?** The state deposits money into an account the Comptroller manages; parents spend it on approved tuition, tutoring, therapies and materials. **Can I still apply for a Texas ESA?** This year's window closed March 31, 2026, and more than 121,000 students are on the waitlist. Watch the Comptroller's site for the 2027–28 application period. **What is the federal school choice tax credit?** Starting January 1, 2027, donors can claim up to $1,700 a year in federal tax credit for gifts to scholarship organizations. Texas opted in. **Does school choice cover Catholic school tuition in Texas?** Yes. Accredited private schools, including Catholic and other religious schools, can take Education Freedom Account funds. **Every parent deserves a choice** Early voting runs through October 30, and Election Day is November 3. Vote at any site in your county; find one at https://www.harrisvotes.com (Harris) or https://www.fortbendvotes.org (Fort Bend). Or read Alexander's plan for local control (https://www.halefortexas.com/priorities/local). **Sources** - Office of the Governor, SB 2 signing (May 3, 2025): https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-signs-landmark-school-choice-legislation-into-law - Community Impact, 85K students will use Texas Education Freedom Accounts (Aug 4, 2026): https://communityimpact.com/bellaire-meyerland-west-university/texas-legislature/85k-students-will-use-new-texas-education-freedom-accounts-this-school-year/ - Community Impact, application extension to March 31: https://communityimpact.com/bellaire-meyerland-west-university/texas-legislature/data-see-where-the-most-texas-students-are-applying-for-education-savings-accounts/ - Education Week, the federal tax-credit scholarship: https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/the-senate-passed-a-federal-voucher-program-whats-in-it/2025/07 - Office of the Governor, Texas opts in (Dec 10, 2025): https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-announces-texas-intent-to-opt-in-to-federal-school-choice-tax-credit-program - Ohio Society of CPAs, IRS state participation list (June 2026): https://ohiocpa.com/advocacy/advocacy-news/2026/06/12/irs-announces-broad-state-participation-in-federal-scholarship-tax-credit-program - Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, facts and figures: https://77noqa.sites.ecatholic.com/facts-and-figures - Community Impact, HISD takeover extended to 2027: https://communityimpact.com/bellaire-meyerland-west-university/education/houston-isd-state-takeover-extended-by-2-years-tea-commissioner-confirms/ - Rep. Fletcher's release on H.R. 5 (Mar 24, 2023): https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4516