Texas School Voucher Program Expands, Houston Leads

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The state of Texas has opened applications for its new school voucher program, which provides funding for parents to send their children to private schools. Houston has emerged as the city with the most private schools approved to participate in the $1B initiative, widening its lead over other Texas metro areas.

Why it matters

The school voucher program is a controversial policy that diverts public education funding to private schools. Supporters argue it gives parents more choice, while critics say it undermines public schools. Houston's dominance in the program reflects the city's large private school sector and could have significant implications for the future of education in the region.

The details

The Texas legislature recently passed a $1 billion school voucher program that allows parents to use taxpayer funds to send their children to private schools. Applications for the program opened this week, and Houston has the most private schools approved to participate so far, with over 200 campuses eligible to receive voucher students.

• The Texas school voucher program was passed by the state legislature in 2025.
• Applications for the program opened on February 1, 2026.
• Houston currently has the most private schools approved to participate in the program.

What’s next

The state will continue accepting applications from private schools to participate in the voucher program over the next several months. Parents will then be able to apply for vouchers to send their children to approved private institutions.