Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that more than 100,000 families have applied to the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) program, marking what officials describe as the largest launch of a new school choice initiative in U.S. history. The TEFA program allows eligible students to use state funds for preapproved educational providers of their choosing.
The program is administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts under Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock. It is designed to give parents more options for their children’s education and support academic achievement.
“The TEFA program receiving more than 100,000 applications in less than two weeks proves that families overwhelmingly want school choice,” said Governor Abbott. “Through this program, families will receive funds to send their children to a school that is the best fit for them. I congratulate Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock for his unwavering support and dedication to this program’s monumental success. Texas families are now more in control of their child’s academic success, regardless of their location or income.”
Governor Abbott first announced on February 4, 2026, that applications were open for the TEFA program. The initiative was created by Senate Bill 2 and signed into law by Abbott, providing $1 billion in funding aimed at expanding academic choices for Texas families. Accepted participants can use the allocated funds toward tuition and transportation costs at schools they select.
Online applications for TEFA remain open through March 17, 2026. All children living in Texas who are U.S. citizens are eligible to apply. The application process is not first-come, first-served; all applicants within the window have equal opportunity for consideration.
The Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott has prioritized parental empowerment in schooling along with job creation and economic opportunities as part of its broader policy goals (https://gov.texas.gov/). Since being elected in 2014, Governor Abbott’s administration has also focused on statewide service delivery and education enhancement (https://gov.texas.gov/). In addition to his work on education policy, Abbott was named among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2024 (https://gov.texas.gov/).
