A law was passed in Texas to create an Education Savings Account (ESA) program, also known as vouchers. ESAs provide money for students to attend private schools instead of public schools. Texas’ ESA program will be in place for the 2026-2027 school year.
What are Education Savings Accounts?
Public schools are funded by taxpayers and are required to locate, identify and evaluate students with disabilities that live within district boundaries. Any child with a disability can attend a public school for free.
With an ESA, a family receives money from the state for their child to attend a participating private school. ESAs can also be used for children who are homeschooled. ESA funds can be used for a variety of educational expenses, including private school tuition, tutoring, therapies, and other approved expenses.
Who can get an Education Savings Account?
Almost all pre-K and K-12 students in Texas will be eligible to apply for the ESA program. This includes students with disabilities, which along with low-income families are prioritized.
How much money will Education Savings Accounts provide?
Families enrolled in the ESA program will receive about $10,000 that can go towards the cost of their child to attend a private school. The average private school tuition in Texas is about $11,000. Families that homeschool their child can receive up to $2,000 per year.
In addition, families of students with disabilities who would be eligible for special education services in public school could receive up to $30,000.
How will Education Savings Accounts work?
Families with children who want to attend a private school will apply to participate in the ESA program. If selected, money will be deposited into a family’s ESA.
Do private schools provide special education services?
Private schools are not required to follow most special education laws and may not provide a continuum of special education services. Also, private schools do not have a mandate to accept students with disabilities for enrollment.
What’s next?
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts will run the ESA program. Over the coming months, there will be opportunities for you to share your thoughts about how the program should work. To stay up-to-date, visit the comptroller’s Texas Education Savings Account Program webpage.
More info
For more information about how students with disabilities in Texas could be impacted, see our Education Savings Account Update for 2025-2026 School Year.
To learn how ESAs could impact private schools that provide special education services, visit the KXAN website.