Texas officials announced the successful launch of the Texas Education Freedom Accounts, projecting it as the largest school choice program in the United States. The program recorded rapid enrollment growth, with 8,000 families signing up within the first hour, 42,000 by the end of the first day, and approximately 62,000 within three days. State leaders expect registrations to reach 100,000 by the March 17 deadline.
Program Details and Funding
Signed into law by Republican Governor Greg Abbott in May 2025, the program allocates $10,000 annually per child for families to use toward private school tuition, homeschooling, or virtual learning. Children with disabilities qualify for up to $30,000 per year in assistance. Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock, who administers the program, described its launch as a victory for “educational freedom,” aligning it with Texas’s reputation for economic freedom.
Political and Public Debate
The initiative faced years of opposition from Democrats, teachers unions, and some Republicans before passing. The Texas American Federation of Teachers (Texas AFT) and Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) strongly opposed the program. They argue the program diverts critical funding from public schools and mostly benefits wealthier families. TSTA President Ovidia Molina criticized the fact that many participating religious schools are Christian-affiliated and alleged they discriminate against LGBTQ students. She pledged to work to end what she called an “expensive and discriminatory program.”
Hancock countered these criticisms by highlighting increased public education investments alongside the school choice program, including a record $4 billion in teacher pay. He emphasized that Texas maintains a balanced budget and aims to improve education broadly across both public and private sectors.
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