School Choice Information
About Education Savings Accounts
School leaders can use the information below to talk to their board, teachers, and community about the school choice bill that will likely pass in 2025. While we won’t know the specifics of the bill until it has passed the legislature, the details below are based on where the conversation ended during the last legislative session.
Mechanics
- Around $10,000 per child per year. Once a family applies for and receives an ESA, they do not have to apply every year.
- Up to $500 million or $1 billion may be appropriated. This means approximately 40,000-80,000 students statewide could participate in the program. There are 5.5 million public school students currently.
- ESA students begin attending participating private schools in the fall of 2026.
- Private schools to be paid quarterly for ESA students
- Schools may opt in—this is NOT mandatory
- Schools may charge the family the difference between the $10,000 and the actual tuition or may choose to use private scholarship funds. This is an internal school decision.
Bill Requirements for TPSA's Support
- All participating private schools must be accredited.
- Religious liberty and private school autonomy language must be in the bill, completely unchanged. This allows private schools to operate in the same way they operate today—no strings attached due to participating in this program.
- Low income and special needs children should be prioritized (the most recent version of the bill capped the eligibility at $110,000 for a family of four—this may change).
- ESA students should not be required to take the state STAAR test. Private schools administer a norm-referenced test and the growth in these scores along with a parental satisfaction survey should be the reporting requirements to the state.
School Considerations
There are some key questions school leaders should ask to help them prepare for school choice in Texas:
Have you looked at your handbook and school policies to make sure they are up to date and fit the mission and vision of your school? Pay close attention to admission policies and hiring policies for your school. Having an attorney review these documents is a great first step before the bill is passed.
Have you talked to your board about if and how you may participate in an ESA program? Have you thought about what you will communicate to your community if you decide not to participate?
Do you have a clear communication plan for your existing school constituency as to how you are going to use the program in your school, and how your use of the program will further and not challenge your school’s unique mission?
Do you have supports for students who may come to your school behind other students who have been at the school for many years? What might that support look like in your community?
Questions?
If you have questions about ESAs, school choice, or how they will impact your school, please contact us.
