Texas Advances TEFA Rollout with more than 50,000 New Awards for Low-Income Families
DALLAS, Texas — The American Federation for Children (AFC) today celebrates with more than 50,000 low-income Texas families receiving Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) program award notifications. This marks a critical next step in distributing TEFA awards to families across the state and establishes a waitlist for remaining applicants.
This week’s new wave of awards for Tier 2 applicants was determined by lottery, because demand for the school choice program far outweighed available funding. Tier 2 comprises general education students from families earning less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level (about $66,000 a year for a family of four).
The TEFA program prioritizes students based on need. The first wave of awards, for Tier 1 families, focused on students with qualifying disabilities living in households earning below 500% of the federal poverty level, as well as their siblings. In the first round of awards, approximately two-thirds of recipients were students with disabilities, and more than half came from families at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
About 53% of Tier 1 and 32% of Tier 2 students attended public school in the past, not counting applications for pre-K through first grade.
Statement from Nathan Cunneen, Texas State Director, American Federation for Children:
“The Texas Education Freedom Account program is doing exactly what it is designed to do: reach families who have historically had the fewest options, including low-income families and students with special needs. The soaring demand for school choice among these families shows why we must continue to prioritize them.
“We will continue our work until waitlists are a distant memory, and school choice is available to every Texas family who wants access to an educational option that will best help their children thrive.”
About American Federation for Children:
The American Federation for Children is the nation’s largest school choice advocacy organization and a leading force in advancing education freedom. AFC has helped pass more than 200 school choice laws nationwide, empowering families with meaningful options and elevating parent voices in education policy. The organization’s affiliated Super PAC, AFC Victory Fund, is focused on electing education reform champions at state and federal levels.
