Area students approved for choice program

EAST TEXAS — Nearly one-third of students who applied for Texas’ new school choice program have been approved so far, according to updated data from the Texas Comptroller’s Office and our news partner KETK.

Of the 8,855 East Texas students who submitted applications, 2,744 have been accepted to receive a Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA). The update comes after Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced Monday that more than 53,000 additional students statewide are expected to be awarded TEFA funding for the 2026–27 school year in Tier 2. Those awards follow the 42,600 students approved late last month in Tier 1.

“Texas families have waited a long time for school choice, and the response to TEFA shows just how much this opportunity means to parents across our state,” Hancock said. “This first year is groundbreaking for Texas. More students will now have access to an education path that fits their needs, and the Comptroller’s office is working carefully to launch this program the right way and serve families well.”

Families who receive TEFA awards must take one of the following actions by July 15:

• Confirm enrollment in a participating private school
• select homeschool or other
• Opt out of the program

As demand among Tier 2 applicants exceeded available funding, the Comptroller’s Office says awards were determined through a random lottery.

KETK News has compiled a list of East Texas school districts where students applied from, along with the number of applicants from each district.

The Texas Education Freedom Account was created following the passage of Senate Bill 2 by the Texas Legislature. This bill allocated $1 billion in funding to help parents enroll their children in private schools or homeschool them.

These funds can be used for various education-related expenses, including academic assessments, private tutoring services, transportation to approved educational providers and meals offered by private schools.