More than 53,000 additional Texas students have been awarded Education Freedom Accounts for the 2026–27 school year as the state’s first statewide school choice program continues its rollout, according to the Texas Comptroller’s office.
The new round of awards, announced Monday, expands participation in the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program during its inaugural year. Notifications are being sent to families between May 4 and May 6 through the program portal and email, where recipients can also view funding details and next steps.
This latest group of students qualified under Tier 2 eligibility requirements, which include children from households earning at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that threshold is about $66,000 annually. The Tier 2 awards follow earlier approvals for more than 42,600 Tier 1 applicants, which include students with disabilities and their siblings.
State officials say the program is designed to expand educational options by allowing families to use public funds for private school tuition, homeschooling support, or other approved educational services. Supporters have framed TEFA as a significant shift in how Texas approaches school funding and parental choice.
Because demand from Tier 2 applicants exceeded available funding, awards were distributed through a randomized lottery process required under state law. Each eligible applicant was assigned a sequential position using a random number generator, with awards granted in order until available funding was exhausted. Siblings were grouped together based on the highest-priority applicant within their household.
The Comptroller’s office says the lottery process was developed and administered with oversight from internal data specialists, along with external observers, including representatives from the State Auditor’s Office and consulting advisers. Officials also set aside funding to handle potential appeals and adjustments to application decisions.
Families who receive awards must take action by July 15. Options include confirming enrollment in a participating private school, selecting homeschooling or other education arrangements with a smaller annual allotment, or opting out of the program entirely. As families make decisions or resolve appeals, additional openings may become available for students currently on the waitlist.
Parents have a 30-day window to appeal decisions related to eligibility, funding amounts, or application status. Successful appeals will be processed according to the original lottery ranking, either placing students into funded slots or moving them onto the waitlist.
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