Texas families hoping to use public funds for private or home-school education may be able to submit applications as early as February 2026, according to newly released state documents. Meanwhile, private schools seeking to participate in the state’s upcoming voucher program could begin registering as soon as December.
The timeline and other details were revealed in a $52 million contract between the state and New York-based finance and technology company Odyssey. The Texas comptroller’s office, which oversees the program, hired Odyssey to design and manage the voucher system. The Texas Tribune and ProPublica obtained the contract after filing an open records request.
According to the contract, schools can begin registering for the program on Dec. 2, 2025, with the parent application process set to open on Feb. 4, 2026, and run through mid-March. Odyssey will also develop the system that parents will use to select educational services and pay tuition using public funds.
The initial contract is valued at $26 million for the first two years, with an option to renew for an additional two years at another $26 million, potentially totaling $52 million. Texas law allows payments of up to 5% of the program’s funding to Odyssey each year. The program is currently funded at $1 billion annually, but legislative budget projections suggest it could approach $5 billion over the next five years.
The voucher program allows families to access thousands of dollars in state funds to support private or home-school education. While the comptroller’s office is responsible for overall oversight, the program’s design and implementation will largely be managed by Odyssey.
Three companies were finalists in the state’s bidding process: Odyssey, ClassWallet, and Student First Technologies. ClassWallet proposed a $79 million contract, while Student First Technologies bid $93 million. State law permits the comptroller to hire up to five organizations to manage the program, but only Odyssey was selected.
Odyssey’s website notes that the company specializes in creating education savings accounts, a form of school voucher program. The company has faced scrutiny in the past, including an audit in Idaho that found up to $180,000 in ineligible taxpayer-funded purchases, which Odyssey repaid.
The company’s work has also drawn attention because of its connections to billionaire investor Jeff Yass and the Yass family. In 2023, a contest founded by the family awarded Odyssey $500,000. Yass previously donated a state-record $6 million to Gov. Greg Abbott’s campaign during efforts to pass an earlier voucher proposal. After the award, Odyssey CEO Joseph Connor praised the Yasses for advancing “school choice and education freedom nationwide.”
To promote the program, Odyssey has subcontracted Steel Digital Studios, Vianovo, and Outschool to help raise awareness. The state-funded public outreach campaign is expected to launch later this month.
