Texas Education Freedom Accounts Pass 160,000 Applicants as March 17 Deadline Approaches

March 9, 2026

(AUSTIN) - Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced today that, one month into the application period, the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program has drawn applications for more than 160,000 students.

The number will continue to rise as families apply before the March 17 deadline.

"Demand is strong for the record-setting launch of school choice in Texas," Hancock said. "While there is still some time to apply, we want to make sure families don't miss out on the opportunity to participate in this historic program's first year, so we're encouraging folks to avoid waiting until the last minute and go ahead and apply now."

The Comptroller's office is marking the occasion by releasing more detailed data about applicants for the TEFA program, including grade level, school district and Education Service Center region.

The data is preliminary and will change as more families apply. Not every family who applies will ultimately participate in the program.

After applications close, the Comptroller's office will allocate funding to eligible families through a lottery that prioritizes students with disabilities and students in low- and middle-income families.

The Comptroller's office will report the waitlist to the Texas Legislature to determine funding for future years.

"We're expecting to sell out in year one," Hancock said. "We are also laying a strong foundation for school choice in Texas to flourish for years to come."

More than 2,200 schools have signed up to participate. Families do not need to select a school when they apply, and more schools will join the program on a rolling basis.

View the updated program fact sheet (PDF) with detailed data.