Local Private Schools Prepare for Vouchers

EDUCATION

Administrators at San Angelo’s private schools are still learning the final details about the new statewide school-voucher initiative, they also said they are optimistic about the coming year.

According to the comptrollers office, Texas Education Freedom accounts (TEF) will open for registration sometime during the first week of February 2026, and some school administrators say Feb. 9.

Interested parents can find official information via the Texas Comptroller’s website.

According to the State of Texas, “children are eligible to participate if they are U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the United States and are eligible to attend a Texas school district or open-enrollment charter school or pre-K program, including children of a parent who is an active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces. The parent must be a Texas resident.”

How Much Can Parents Expect?

The program is equity-based, with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) determining the exact amount for the first year of the program in January 2026. According to the comptroller website the current estimate sits at approximately $10,800 per child if the student attends an approved private school.

Students with disabilities who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) on file with their school district
may receive more — up to $30,000 per year.

Home-schooled students may receive up to $2,000 per year.

How Does Selection Work?

If applications exceed available funding, a lottery will decide placement. State law sets this priority order:

• Siblings of children already in the program (after the first round of selections).
• Children with a disability who are members of a household with income at or below 500 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL).
• Children from households at or below 200 percent FPL.
• Children from households above 200 percent and below 500 percent FPL.
• Children from households at or above 500 percent FPL, prioritized by children who were enrolled in a Texas public school district or open-enrollment charter school for at least 90 percent of the preceding school year, according to the TEA. No more than 20 percent of total program funds may be spent on this category in a given school year.

If during an application period, there are more acceptable applications for admission than there are available positions, a wait list will be established based on the priority categories listed above.

For Applying Parents: What Schools Can I Choose From?

Based on estimates from private school administrators, there are likely less than 100 desks open at San Angelo’s accredited private schools for the 2026-2027 school year.

State law requires participating schools to be certified by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission, which currently lists four schools in Tom Green County: Angelo Catholic School, Cornerstone Christian School, San Angelo Christian Academy, Trinity Lutheran School.

Enrollment for the 2026-’27 school year is open at all four schools.

The current strategy most schools report is that they are asking parents to apply regardless of income level, and begin the school registration process. Funds are scheduled to be approved after the February registration, which will apply for the ’26-’27 school year.

At Angelo Catholic School, administrators report they are 25 students away from reaching their enrollment goal. Principal Elizabeth Mata says that they will be working closely with parents during the application process to make sure that the school is able to meet the needs of the students.

Future expansion will be dependent on if the program is successful this year, Mata explained. So currently, no major changes have been made in anticipation.

Administration at San Angelo Christian Academy said they have a few open slots, but will work maintain their class sizes of 12-or-fewer students. Trinity Lutheran School reports a similar situation.

The Concho Observer reached out to other schools, but did not receive a response by publication time.

This article will be updated as the comptroller’s office continues to update administrators and teachers.

For Homeschooling Parents: What Can I Spend The Money On?

Homeschooled students are eligible to receive up to $2,000 of state assistance. The comptroller website currently does not provide a list of eligible services specific to homeschool programs, but a notice indicates this will be updated soon.