By May 6, approximately 96,000 students in Texas will be notified about their eligibility to join the state’s school voucher program, as stated by Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock on Monday. This initiative marks a significant milestone in Texas education reform.
The first recipients of these vouchers, totaling over 42,600 children, primarily include those with disabilities and their siblings from families earning up to 500% of the federal poverty level. This translates to an annual income of $165,000 or less for a family of four. Notifications for these families began on April 22, and Hancock recently expanded the group by adding around 2,000 more families.
Currently, the second round of awards is being issued to more than 51,000 children from families at or below 200% of the poverty level, which is an annual income of $66,000 or less for a family of four. Notably, 68% of these students previously attended private schools or were home-schooled. The demographics reveal that 36% are white, 28% Hispanic, and 17% Black, contrasting with the overall demographics of Texas public school students, where 24% are white, 53% Hispanic, and 13% Black.
State officials anticipate that Texas will witness the largest rollout of education savings accounts (ESAs) in the country, with projections indicating that approximately 100,000 children will benefit from these accounts. Families who do not receive ESAs will be placed on a waitlist.
From the initial batch of students invited to participate, 42% are white, with over half coming from low-income families. Additionally, 53% of these students had previously attended public schools, highlighting a shift in the educational landscape.
It’s important to note that the data released so far does not indicate actual participation rates in the program. Students will only be officially accepted into the ESA program once their enrollment in a private school is confirmed, a process that families must complete by July 15. Funds from the program may also be utilized for home schooling. If families cannot secure their preferred educational setting, these funds will be redirected to students on the waitlist.
As the application process for the voucher program unfolds, updates will continue to be provided.
Voucher applications close
The initial application window for Texas school vouchers closed on March 31, following a federal judge’s decision to deny a request from Islamic schools and Muslim families for an extension. This legal action arose from allegations that state leaders had excluded these schools based on unfounded ties to terrorism while accepting numerous other non-Islamic institutions.
The lawsuit aimed to secure another extension and provide relief to any affected Muslim families or Islamic schools. On the same day that applications closed, the Texas comptroller’s office announced it had approved all eligible Islamic schools that applied to participate in the voucher program.
The next court hearing related to this matter is scheduled for May 8.
What is the voucher program?
The school voucher program was authorized by Governor Greg Abbott through Senate Bill 2 in 2025, creating a statewide initiative allowing families to utilize public funds for private school tuition or home-schooling expenses. Between February 4 and March 31, virtually any family with school-age children in Texas could apply for the program. A lottery system determined who would receive funding, pending acceptance into a private educational institution. Private schools wishing to participate can apply continuously, provided they have been in operation for at least two years and hold accreditation.
Over 274,000 students applied, and more than 2,400 private schools have been accepted into the program, reflecting a substantial interest in alternative educational options.
Fights over Texas’ voucher rollout
In late 2025, Hancock sought guidance from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding the legality of excluding schools based on alleged connections to groups classified as foreign terrorist organizations or foreign adversaries. Hancock noted that schools accredited by Cognia had hosted events organized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil rights organization that Abbott labeled a terrorist group. CAIR has since filed a lawsuit against Abbott, contesting this designation as defamatory and baseless. Notably, the U.S. State Department has not recognized CAIR as a terrorist organization.
During the primary election season, anti-Muslim rhetoric became a focal point for Texas Republicans. Hancock, who was appointed as interim comptroller, ran for a full term but ultimately lost the election. His actions led to the exclusion of numerous Cognia-accredited schools from the voucher program, including those catering to Muslim students, Christian students, and children with disabilities, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.
Paxton’s opinion indicated that Hancock could indeed block certain schools from participation if they were deemed “illegally tied to terrorists or foreign adversaries.” A coalition of Islamic schools and Muslim families subsequently filed a lawsuit, asserting that state officials systematically targeted Islamic institutions for exclusion, despite these schools meeting the eligibility criteria and having no actual connections to unlawful activities.
Prior to the legal action, no Islamic schools had been admitted into the voucher program, while other faith-based schools were approved. Though some Islamic schools had initially appeared on the approved list, they were later removed by Hancock.
