Texas
Texas school voucher applications open today: What families need to know before applying
HOUSTON – Texas families can begin applying today, Feb. 4 at 9 a.m., for the state’s new Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), also known as the school voucher program, which runs through March 17.
State officials said that this is not first-come, first-served, but parents and guardians should have key documents ready before they start the application.
While the window is open now, if the number of applicants exceeds available funding, capped at roughly $1 billion, the state will prioritize applicants based on income and special-needs status. It may conduct a lottery to allocate funds.
Here’s what families should prepare before applying online:
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Valid ID and Social Security numbers for parents and children — proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful residence is also required.
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Income documentation, such as recent tax returns, because it is partially determined by household income.
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Documentation of special needs (like an IEP) if applying under that category.
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A plan for where the voucher money will go — funds are sent directly to registered schools or providers, not to families.
Families whose applications are approved can receive up to about $10,400 per student, with higher amounts, up to around $30,000, available for students with documented special needs.
About 1,600 private schools across Texas, including many in the Houston area, have already opted in to participate, and families must select one eligible school in the portal if they plan to use the funds for private education.
State officials say the application should take about 10 minutes to complete, and the portal will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on March 17.
Award notifications are expected beginning in early April, and initial funding for approved families will be available starting July 1 for the 2026-27 school year.
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
Texas
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Texas
New screwworm portal aims to protect Texas livestock, wildlife and rural economy
AUSTIN – Texas officials are rolling out a new online hub aimed at helping residents spot and report the New World screwworm, a pest Gov. Greg Abbott says threatens livestock, wildlife, and the state’s rural economy.
Abbott announced the launch of screwworm.texas.gov, an enhanced website housed in the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s Disaster Portal that he described as a “one-stop shop” for information and resources tied to the state’s response.
The New World screwworm poses a direct threat to Texas livestock, wildlife, and our rural economy,” Abbott said. “This new website puts essential tools in the hands of our producers, veterinarians, and families. Screwworm.texas.gov delivers the facts, maps, identification methods, and certification resources Texans need to detect problems early and report cases without delay. Now every Texan has the information to act. Texas will protect our land, our animals, and our way of life from this pest.
According to the governor’s office, the site is designed to provide “actionable and reliable multimedia information” about the New World screwworm, including fact sheets, videos, and educational materials.
The portal includes background information, guidance on how to spot the pest, sample collection procedures, Texas Animal Health Commission New World screwworm zone maps, the U.S. Department of Agriculture case dashboard, links to best practices for livestock and wildlife, and details on registering for a new no-cost New World screwworm Certified Inspector Training.
The governor’s office said state and federal partners are working together to detect, control and contain the spread, and that expanding public outreach and providing clear information is a key part of reducing risk.
Abbott’s office also highlighted actions taken by the governor in response to the pest, including:
- Directing the creation of a joint Texas New World screwworm Response Team
- Joining USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to announce a $750 million investment in a new sterile fly production facility in Edinburg
- Issuing a statewide disaster declaration ahead of the first detection
- Deploying state resources and activating the State Emergency Operations Center after the first confirmed Texas cases
- Visiting the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville for a briefing
- Launching a free online training course to certify more inspectors
- Announcing federal funding to strengthen inspection capacity.
Texans are urged to inspect livestock and pets for wounds and report suspected cases immediately, including in wildlife.
For livestock and pets, suspected cases should be reported to the Texas Animal Health Commission’s 24-hour veterinarian call line at 1-800-550-8242.
For wildlife, reports should be made to Texas Parks and Wildlife’s 24-hour biologists’ call line at 512-389-4505. Officials also warn people not to move affected animals.
More information and updates are available at screwworm.texas.gov and screwworm.gov.
Texas
Flu sickens some 160 troops at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas
More than 150 troops at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas have been infected with influenza over the past three weeks — a major outbreak less than two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said American troops would no longer be required to be vaccinated against the flu.
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