Texas
First round of Texas Education Freedom Accounts awarded to priority students
HOUSTON – Notifications are going out to thousands of Texas families as the state launches the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program.
Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced that more than 42,600 students will receive award notices this week under the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program. This first round prioritizes students in the program’s highest-need category, those with qualifying disabilities who come from households earning at or below 500 percent of the federal poverty level, along with their siblings.
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Tier 1: Families with a child with a disability and household income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level (up to $165,000 for a family of four).
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Tier 2: Lower-income families at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (about $66,000 for a family of four).
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Tier 3: Families earning between 200% and 500% of the federal poverty level ($66,000–$165,000 for a family of four).
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Tier 4: Families above 500% of the poverty level. Only 20% of the program’s $1 billion budget is allocated for this tier, and a lottery will determine funding if there are more applicants than funds.
According to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, notifications will be distributed in batches from April 22 through April 24. Families who receive notices will have 30 days to appeal funding determinations, though any adjustments must be supported by official school district records or Individualized Education Program (IEP) documentation.
“These awards put tens of thousands of Texas families one step closer to the educational path that works best for their children,” Hancock said in a news release.
Governor Greg Abbott praised the rollout, calling it a transformative step for education in the state.
“School choice funds being distributed to Texas families paves the way for Texas to become the No. 1 state for education,” Abbott said. He added that the program empowers parents to choose the best learning environment for their children regardless of income or location.
More award notifications are expected in the coming weeks. For families in the second priority tier, primarily lower-income households without qualifying disabilities, the next phase will include a lottery scheduled for the week of April 27. This process will determine which applicants receive funding for the 2026–27 school year, while others will be assigned positions on a waitlist.
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Wednesday he has secured a settlement of bankruptcy claims against genetic testing company 23andMe stemming from a 2023 data breach that exposed personal information, including some genetic ancestry data, of 6.9 million customers worldwide.
Paxton’s office said the settlement includes $150 million for a multistate coalition of 42 states. But because of limited funds in 23andMe’s bankruptcy estate and competing claims, the states’ recovery will be $18 million paid immediately, with Texas receiving $1,266,860.
23andMe disclosed in October 2023 that attackers had accessed accounts affecting 6.9 million consumers. Some of the information was later posted for sale on the dark web, according to Paxton’s office, which said the company learned of the breach months after the data became publicly available. The office said 23andMe initially denied a breach and later blamed consumers’ account settings and password practices.
Paxton joined a multistate investigation that concluded 23andMe used unreasonable security practices and failed to implement adequate safeguards against hacking, the office said.
23andMe filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2025. Paxton’s office said the settlement incorporates privacy and cybersecurity requirements, including enhanced security standards, comprehensive risk assessments and creation of an independent advisory board, along with enforcement of state privacy laws and continued consumer data deletion rights.
“Companies that collect and profit from Texans’ most personal information have a legal duty to protect it,” Paxton said in a statement.
The company also agreed to a $46.75 million class-action settlement in the bankruptcy case for affected U.S. consumers who submitted claims by Feb. 17, 2026, Paxton’s office said.
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
The Texas Longhorns entered the 2025 season with more expectations than any team has had to deal with in recent memory.
Many among the media were ready to crown the team and quarterback Arch Manning before they even played one game. Of course, those unrealistic expectations were never met, even though the team finished with a 10-3 record and a Citrus Bowl win over the Michigan Wolverines.
2026 is heading in the same direction for the Longhorns. Many believe head coach Steve Sarkisian has the most talented team in the country. But in order to fix the issues from this past season, the Longhorns needed to fix one issue that has cost them in the past.
Changing The Narrative
One of the biggest issues the Longhorns had last season was the play of the offensive line. It was apparent in the first game of the season against the Ohio State Buckeyes that Manning didn’t have the pocket time needed to make big plays.
This offseason, Coach Sarkisian went out and found two massive transfer portal additions that should completely change the narrative on this offensive line.
It starts with potential starting right tackle Melvin Siani. Siani has spent time with the Temple Owls and last season with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
The Longhorns are set at left tackle with Trevor Goosby, who could play himself into being a top 10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. If the team can get competent play from Siani, the offense will be able to open up the playbook, and the world may finally see Manning at his college peak.
The Longhorns also went out and found a potential fix at left guard for the 2026 season. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers transfer Laurence Seymore could be another strong patch for the holes in the offensive line.
After spending the first two seasons of his college career with the Miami Hurricanes, Seymore made stops with the Akron Zips and the Hilltoppers.
Of course, the one concern with Seymore is wondering if he can compete at the SEC level coming from the C-USA.
This season for the Longhorns starts and stops with the play of Manning. Coach Sarkisian and the rest of this coaching staff understood that protecting their quarterback was the most important goal when building the 2026 roster.
The Longhorns are going to be leaning on veteran talent to protect their quarterback, and it may very well be the best decision they made this offseason.
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