SAN ANTONIO – More than 163,000 applications for Texas Education Freedom Accounts are in for students across the state. San Antonio students represent 19,422 of the total applicants so far.
Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock touted the “strong” demand for the launch of the program.
“We’re expecting to sell out in year one,” Hancock said in a press release. “We are also laying a strong foundation for school choice in Texas to flourish for years to come.”
However, opponents of the program worry that too much funding will be allocated to TEFA in just a few years. According to a Feb. 2 Texas State Teachers Association press release, “the $1 billion lawmakers spent on the first year of the voucher program will increase to about $4 billion a year by 2030, the Legislative Budget Board has predicted.”
Texas Education Freedom Accounts will prioritize students with disabilities whose families are at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
At or below 500% of the FPL, is equivalent to at or below about $160,750 for a family of four. There is a pretty big difference for people in the second-tier priority level. Families in the tier must be at or below 200% of the FPL, which is about $66,000 or less for a family of four.
Families qualifying to be in the third tier are people who have an annual household income between 200% and 500% of the FPL. Families in the fourth and final tier can have an annual income at or above 500% of the FPL. However, “children who were enrolled in a Texas public school or charter school for at least 90% of the prior school year will be prioritized in that group,” according to the TEFA website.
State law requires that funding for students whose household income is at or above 500% can only make up 20% of the funding appropriated for TEFA in that school year.
The program was touted as being for low-income families and students with disabilities. The most recent statistics from the state comptroller’s office show about 11% of applicants are in the highest priority group and 30% are in the second priority group.
Local school districts stand to be impacted by the changes if a majority of applicants receive enough funding to attend private school or be homeschooled in the upcoming school years.
The comptroller’s office compiled a list of how many applications came from students who shared what public school district they are typically slated to attend.
- Northside ISD had 4,102 applicants
- North East ISD had 3,386 applicants
- Comal ISD had 2,171 applicants
- San Antonio ISD had 1,335 applicants
- Judson ISD had 1,183 applicants
These numbers are as of March 8, but applications do not close until March 17.
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