Texas Shatters Record for Student Applications in New School Choice Program

February 5, 2026

(AUSTIN) - Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced today that more than 42,000 students applied for Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) on Feb. 4, the first day of the program's launch. The total represents a nationwide record for most enrollments for day one of a new school choice program, surpassing Tennessee's 33,000 student applications in 2025.

"Texas families made history yesterday," Hancock said. "This record-breaking response shows a powerful groundswell across our state of parents who are excited about the freedom to choose the best possible education for their child, and we're proud to deliver a program that puts students first."

Of the students who applied on the first day, 80.3 percent of student applicants indicated they plan to attend a participating private school next year, and 19.7 percent said they plan to choose another option, such as homeschooling.

Of the students with verified information:

• 34 percent have household incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level ($66,000 for a family of four).
• 38 percent have household incomes between 200 percent and 500 percent of the federal poverty level ($165,000 for a family of four).
• Nearly three in four have been placed in one of the three top priority groups established by Senate Bill 2:
  • 10 percent have been placed in the top priority tier for students with disabilities and household incomes below 500 percent of the federal poverty level.
  • 29 percent have been placed in the second priority tier for students with household incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
  • 33 percent have been placed in the third priority tier for students with household incomes between 200 and 500 percent of the federal poverty level.

The number of applicants will continue to climb. As of 11 a.m. today, more than 46,000 students have applied.

Applications will remain open through March 17 at 11:59 p.m. CT. Families have plenty of time to apply, and the program is not filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Details on how to apply are available at EducationFreedom.Texas.Gov .