More than 85,000 Texas students have been funded through the state's new Education Freedom Accounts program ahead of the 2026–27 school year, following overwhelming demand from families across the state.
Texas received approximately 274,000 applications during the program's first application cycle. As of July 29, 85,344 student accounts had been funded, according to the state's first annual demographic report released Saturday by Texas Comptroller Don Huffines.
The figures represent a snapshot in time and are expected to increase as additional families accept their awards and complete the enrollment process.
More than 248,000 students qualified for the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, commonly known as TEFA. State officials had issued more than 122,000 awards by late July, leaving many families who had been selected still working through the final steps before their accounts could be funded.
"Parents from every walk of life are demanding the power to direct their children's education," Huffines said. "Giving all parents the power to choose the right education for their child encourages schools to compete and deliver better results for all students. The initial success of this program speaks for itself."
Demand continues to exceed available funding. More than 121,000 eligible students remain on the program's waiting list while the comptroller's office continues issuing awards and funding additional accounts.
State officials say that is the largest school choice waiting list in the country. They also say TEFA has already become the nation's third-largest education savings account program and the largest Day One program of its kind in U.S. history.
The strong response was evident almost immediately after applications opened. As previously reported, the program topped 100,000 applications less than two weeks after the application window opened in February.
The demographic breakdown shows that most funded students come from lower-income households. About 68,000 students—roughly 80% of all funded participants—live in families earning at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Under the 2026 guidelines, that equals an annual income of $66,000 for a family of four.
Another 17,300 funded students come from households earning between 201% and 500% of the federal poverty level. Fewer than 30 participants came from households above that threshold. Those students qualified because they received awards alongside eligible siblings, as required by state law.
Students with disabilities also make up a significant share of the program. Nearly one in four funded students has a qualifying disability, including about 20,700 children placed in the program's highest-priority eligibility tier.
"No Texas child should be trapped in a failing school or forced to attend a school that is unable to provide the services they need to address disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia or auditory processing disorders. I am committed to improving and growing this program so every Texas child can have the opportunity to reach their dreams," Huffines said.
Senate Bill 2 created the Education Freedom Accounts program with $1 billion in state funding. For the 2026–27 school year, most participating private school students receive $10,474. Eligible students with individualized education programs may receive up to $30,000, while homeschooled and other qualifying students receive $2,000.
