Texas
Most applicants for Texas school choice vouchers already attend private schools, state data shows
The deadline for Texas families to apply for Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA), also known as school vouchers, is on March 17.
TEFA is the $1 billion program that provides families with taxpayer money to help pay for private school. A longtime priority of Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Republicans were able to pass it through the Legislature in a special session in 2025 after years of opposition from a coalition of Democrats and some Republicans worried about it negatively impacting public schools.
In the period from when applications opened on Feb. 4 through March 8, more than 160,000 Texas families have applied for the vouchers. Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock expects the program to reach capacity in its first year.
Texas school voucher application data by income
According to data from the Comptroller’s Office, 79% of the applicants for TEFA are already in private school. Lawmakers who advocated for the program said it was designed to give public school and homeschooled students an opportunity to switch to a private education.
After applications close, the Comptroller’s Office will allocate funding to eligible families through a lottery that prioritizes students with disabilities first. Eleven percent of all applicants, about 18,000, are students with disabilities from families at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Next on the priority list is students from low- and middle-income families. Just 35% of applicants are from households that earn 200% or less of the Federal Poverty Level:
- 200% or less of the Federal Poverty Level ($66,000 or less for a family of 4): 35%
- Between 200% and 500% of the Federal Poverty Level ($66,001-$164,999 for a family of 4): 36%
- 500% or more of the Federal Poverty Level: ($165,000 or more for a family of 4): 29%
The Comptroller’s Office will report the waitlist to the Texas Legislature to determine funding for future years.
Texas school voucher application data by grade
The highest share of applications are for students who will be entering pre-K in the fall. Nearly 21,000 applications, about 12.8%, are in that cohort. The number of applicants per grade level declines as the students get older:
- Pre-K: 20,975
- Kindergarten: 15,777
- First grade: 13,654
- Second grade: 13,035
- Third grade: 12,922
- Fourth grade: 12,449
- Fifth grade: 12,273
- Sixth grade: 12,262
- Seventh grade: 10,953
- Eighth grade: 9,600
- Ninth grade: 9,464
- Tenth grade: 7.921
- Eleventh grade: 6,731
- Twelfth grade: 5,347
Texas school voucher applications by school district
The Comptroller’s Office also released a list that broke down the number of applications submitted in each school district across the state.
How much money public school districts will miss out on will depend on how many enrolled or prospective students they lose to private school because of TEFA, since state funds follow the student. But since 79% of applicants are already in private school, the extent of the impact on public school funding may be limited.
Here are the North Texas school districts with the most TEFA applications from within their boundaries:
- Dallas ISD: 5,267
- Fort Worth ISD: 3,151
- Plano ISD: 2,875
- Richardson ISD: 1,803
- Frisco ISD: 1,793
- Arlington ISD: 1,746
- Northwest ISD: 1,661
- Garland ISD: 1,622
- Lewisville ISD: 1,614
- Keller ISD: 1,541
HOUSTON, TEXAS – MAY 27: Democratic Senate Candidate James Talarico speaks at a rally at Rich’s Houston on May 27, 2026 in Houston, Texas. Talarico held the rally after the primary runoff and to explain his plan on how he will take on Republican nominee Ken Paxton. (Photo by Danielle Villasana/Getty Images)
Texas has reported 48 cases of Cyclospora, a foodborne illness caused by a parasite that health experts say can lead to severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
Dr. David Winter, an internal medicine physician with Baylor Scott & White, said cyclospora infections typically increase during the summer. However, he said the current increase affecting several states could become the worst in years.
At least 20 people nationwide have been hospitalized with symptoms that can last for weeks.
“It’s really bad disease right now and sometimes you get in your intestines and that gives you these horrible cramps and gurgling and then diarrhea. In fact, the diarrhea is so bad, they call it explosive diarrhea,” Winter said.
Cyclospora is caused by a parasite rather than a virus or bacteria. Winter said the parasite multiplies inside the intestines, contributing to recurring symptoms.
“It’s a parasite. It’s not a virus, it is not bacteria. So the parasite, once it gets in your intestine, it starts to multiply. And then when it builds up a certain amount, then it comes out with this explosion, and then it starts multiply again,” Winter said.
The illness spreads through food or water contaminated with infected feces and is rarely transmitted from person to person.
The source of the current outbreak is unknown. Previous outbreaks have been linked to fresh fruits and vegetables, including basil, cilantro, raspberries and snow peas.
Doctors recommend thoroughly washing fresh produce before eating it to help reduce the risk of infection.
For many people, symptoms can be managed at home, and antibiotics are also effective, according to Winter.
He said patients with severe diarrhea should let their doctor know about their symptoms because many routine stool tests do not automatically screen for cyclospora.
“Most stool tests in laboratories don’t look for this. So you want to be sure and tell your doctor, I’ve got this, quote, explosive diarrhea. I’m cramping, I feel like hell, I have all this fatigue,” Winter said.
While the infection is uncommon, Winter said it can be especially difficult for those who become sick.
“It’s rare, but boy when you get it, it is tough,” Winter said.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.
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