School vouchers: How much could Texas families get from an Education Savings Account?
CORRECTION: Students must be a U.S. citizen or national or lawfully admitted into the United States to be eligible for education savings accounts. A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the eligibility requirements.
A bill that could reshape how Texas funds education is one step closer to becoming law.
The Texas House voted 88–61 April 17 to approve a school voucher bill that would create Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). These accounts would let parents use state money for their kids’ private education or home-school programs. Parents could use that money for tuition and other costs, like school supplies, transportation, tutoring and therapy.
Supporters say it’s a win for school choice, giving parents more flexibility to choose the education path that’s right for their kids. Opponents argue it pulls critical funding from public schools, leaving fewer resources for the students who stay.
Following the House’s recent approval, one more vote is needed before the bill returns to the Senate.
No matter where you stand, the question most parents are asking right now is simple: “How will this affect my family?”
Here’s what you need to know about how the ESA program works, who qualifies and how much financial support your student could receive.
How much money could my child receive?
Most students would receive a little over $10,000 per year — equal to 85 percent of the state’s average per-student funding. The program would be capped at $1 billion for the 2026-27 fiscal period. If signed into law, the funds would become available starting in 2026.
Students with disabilities would receive that base amount, plus the amount their local school district would have received for their education, with a maximum total of $30,000.
Families who choose to homeschool their children would be eligible for a flat $2,000 annually.
For families weighing their options, these ESAs could mean thousands of dollars in new resources for tuition, textbooks, tutoring and more.
Who can participate?
Only U.S. citizens or nationals or students lawfully admitted into the U.S. would be eligible to enroll in the ESA program.
If the number of applicants exceeds available funding, the state would use a lottery system that prioritizes students in the following order:
- Students with disabilities in families earning up to 500 percent of federal poverty guidelines (about $160,750 for a family of four in 2025)
- Students in families at or below 200 percent of poverty (about $64,300 for a family of four)
- Students in families between 200 percent and 500 percent of poverty
- Students in families above 500 percent of poverty
Within each income tier, kids with siblings already in ESAs get a first shot, and students who haven’t previously enrolled and exited the program rank ahead of repeat applicants.
What can families expect?
Parents would apply through the state, and approved educational expenses would be reimbursed from each child’s ESA.
Participating private schools would be required to meet state accreditation and reporting standards, although they would not be subject to the state’s standardized STAAR exams.
Where does the bill stand?
Following the House’s recent approval, one more vote is needed before the bill returns to the Senate.
Because the House made changes to the Senate’s original version, lawmakers will either need to form a conference committee to reconcile the differences or the Senate could vote to accept the House’s version as is.
If both chambers agree on the final language, the bill will head to Gov. Abbott’s desk for signature.
This story was originally published April 18, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
