Texas families participating in the state’s new school choice program are receiving another round of funding Thursday as the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program moves into its second payment period.Private-school students participating in the program are receiving an additional 25% of their annual award on Oct. 1, according to the state’s official funding schedule.

The payment is the second of three installments scheduled for private-school students during the 2026-27 school year. The first 25% was distributed earlier this summer, while the remaining 50% is scheduled to be deposited Feb. 1, 2027.

Students must remain enrolled in a participating private school to receive future installments.

Most private-school students receive $10,474

The standard Education Freedom Account award for a student attending a participating private school is $10,474 for the 2026-27 school year.

That amount represents 85% of the estimated statewide average state and local funding per student in average daily attendance.

For a student receiving the standard award, the first two 25% payments amount to about $2,618.50 each. The remaining $5,237 is scheduled to arrive in February.

Some students with disabilities can qualify for significantly more funding.

A private-school student with a qualifying Individualized Education Program on file with the state may receive as much as $30,000. The amount depends on how much funding the student’s local public school district would have received to provide services under the IEP.

Students with disabilities who do not have a qualifying IEP on file receive the standard $10,474 private-school award.

Homeschool students have a different schedule

Students participating through the homeschool or other education category are funded differently.

Those students receive $2,000 annually, with the entire award distributed in a single installment rather than through the payment schedule used for private-school students.

Families can use Education Freedom Account money for approved education-related expenses based on the student’s educational setting.

Participating private schools can accept the funds for qualifying tuition and fees. State guidelines also say participating schools should not charge students different tuition or fees simply because they receive an Education Freedom Account award.

More than 100,000 students receive awards

The first year of the program generated far more demand than the number of awards initially available.

More than 274,000 applications were submitted during the application period, which ran from Feb. 4 through March 31. More than 100,000 students have since received awards.

When demand exceeded available funding, the state used a priority system established by the Legislature to determine which students would receive awards first. Students with disabilities and those from lower-income households received priority.

As previously reported by High Plains Pundit, the state had funded Education Freedom Accounts for 85,344 students by late July. Texas has continued issuing awards since then as openings became available.

Waitlisted students continue moving into program

Students who were initially waitlisted have continued receiving awards when selected families declined to participate, changed educational settings or additional program money became available.

Timing can affect how much those students receive.

Students brought off the waitlist after July 15 may receive prorated awards depending on when their enrollment is confirmed.

Under the state’s funding schedule, private-school students who confirmed enrollment by Sept. 15 are eligible for the Oct. 1 installment. Students entering the program later may receive reduced funding based on when they join.

The 2026-27 application period is now closed.

Families who missed the inaugural application cycle can join the state’s interest list to receive information about the 2027-28 Education Freedom Accounts program.

Thursday’s payment marks another milestone for Texas’ first year of Education Freedom Accounts, with the program moving from its massive initial application period into the regular process of distributing funds to participating families. The next major funding date for private-school participants comes Feb. 1, when the state is scheduled to release the final 50% of their annual awards.