School Choice
UPDATE
School Choice is Coming to Texas
Senate Bill 2, officially establishing a statewide Education Savings Account (ESA) program, was signed into law and will start for the 2026-2027 school year. We will update you when implementation details are available.
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New Opportunities for Education in Texas
Exciting opportunities are happening in Texas! Governor Abbott signed SB2 on Saturday, May 3rd making an Educational Savings Account the law in Texas. While the program will not begin until 2026, much work is being done behind the scenes to make sure that the program is one that will work well for Texas families. Rest assured that TPSA is actively involved in these discussions and will share any updates when they are available.
FAQs about School Choice in Texas
How will it work?
School choice will provide families with Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) that are intended to help families access the school of their choice. Around $10,000 per student will be provided in order to make private education more accessible for families across the state. This groundbreaking initiative allows you to select a participating private school that fits your child’s unique needs, providing a flexible and supportive path to educational success.
Who will be eligible?
About 80,000-100,000 students statewide could benefit from this program, making it a significant opportunity for families who wish to have more choices for their children’s education. The law gives priority to low-income and special needs families, ensuring that those who need these resources most will have access. With this funding, you will have the power to choose the school environment that best supports your child’s learning style, strengths, and interests, enabling them to truly thrive both academically and personally.
Will all private schools participate?
Private schools also have choice. Schools can choose whether or not to accept ESA funds. Some schools may wish to accommodate families using ESA by providing scholarships to cover any difference between the ESA amount and full tuition. This means more options and fewer barriers to giving your child the educational experience they deserve. The choice is yours—take advantage of this upcoming opportunity to empower your child’s educational journey and discover a school that nurtures their potential.
Mechanics
- $1 billion will be appropriated for the state’s FY 2026-2027 biennium. This means approximately 80,000 – 100,000 students statewide could participate in the program in the first year.
- Families with children with special needs and incomes below $162,000 for a family of four will be prioritized.
- A child without special needs will receive around $10,000. Families apply for the ESA and the funds go to an online account for that child to be directed to pre-approved educational providers, including accredited private schools.
- A child with a special needs diagnosis may qualify for a larger ESA: up to $30,000 depending on the severity of the disability. Stay tuned for more information about how to document that disability.
- Once a family applies for and receives an ESA, they do not have to apply every year.
- Schools may opt in—this is NOT mandatory
- ESA students begin attending participating private schools in the Fall of 2026.
- Admission policies and processes remain the same for private schools.
- Private schools to be paid intermittently for ESA students.
- Schools may charge the family the difference between the ESA amount and the actual tuition or may choose to use private scholarship funds. This is an internal school decision.
- Private schools that participate in the program must administer a norm-referenced test in grades 3-12. The parents of the ESA children will report those test scores to the organization administering the ESA program. These scores, along with a parental satisfaction survey of the program, are the reporting requirements of SB2.
