Starting with the 2026-27 school year, all districts will become part of a statewide voucher system, also known as Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA).

TEFA, or the voucher system as it is more commonly known, provides roughly $10,474 annually for students to attend accredited private schools, and up to $30,000 for students with disabilities. Additionally, $2,000 is available per student for home-schooling. These funds, aimed at 85% of public school state/local funding, can be used for tuition, fees, tutoring and transportation.

However, many school districts, including Fort Worth and Lake Worth, could face significant challenges because of TEFA. Designed to attract students from public schools, it inherently suggests a decline in public school enrollment.

Because Texas funds public schools based on student enrollment, the loss of students to private schools can directly reduce the budget available for public schools. With these two districts already facing the challenge of being taken over by the state, further losses could border on devastating, with significant budget strains creating pressure to cut funding in other areas.

Proponents of the vouchers say TEFA offers better options for parents. Meanwhile, opponents, many of whom are public school educators, say that private schools receiving public money should face the same accountability requirements as public schools.

There were more than 274,000 applications submitted for the inaugural 2026-27 year — representing roughly 4% of all Texas school children. The demand exceeded the initial $1 billion allocation, which covers roughly 100,000 students.

The high number of applicants that did not receive immediate funding is expected to pressure lawmakers to expand funding in future legislative sessions.