What we know about school vouchers in San Antonio
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Students living in the boundaries of San Antonio's largest public school district comprise the third-highest number of participants among school districts in Texas' new private school voucher program, but there isn't yet a clear picture of how the program is affecting enrollment.
Why it matters: Public school advocates warn vouchers will harm public schools, while supporters argue parents shouldn't have to send their kids to underperforming public schools.
How it works: The $1 billion program, known as Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA), gives families state money for private school tuition or to pay for homeschooling.
- A family can get as much as $10,474 per child to help pay for private school for the 2026–27 school year.
- Students with disabilities can receive up to $30,000.
- Homeschooled students may qualify for up to $2,000 a year.
By the numbers: Nearly 2,300 students who live within Northside ISD boundaries are getting vouchers, per a report from Texas Comptroller Don Huffines. The number of students awarded vouchers in other area school districts are:
- 1,536 in North East ISD
- 972 in San Antonio ISD
- 878 in Comal ISD
- 716 in Judson ISD
- 444 in Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD
Zoom in: "Like many districts statewide, [Northside ISD] is experiencing enrollment shifts driven by demographic changes—such as declining birth rates—and new options like the state's TEFA program," district spokesperson Barry Perez tells Axios.
- Northside's sixth-day report showed an enrollment of just over 94,465 students this year, Perez says — down nearly 2% from the same point last year.
- "In response to increased competition, we are continuing to provide first-rate academic, athletic, fine arts and extracurricular programming that meets the needs of our families," Perez says, pointing to the launch of the Virtual Academy this year.
Between the lines: 70% of voucher participants were previously in private school or homeschooled, per comptroller information Axios received through a request under the Texas Public Information Act.
Reality check: Nearly a quarter of voucher recipients statewide haven't used the funding, per the Express-News.
- Some did not apply to a private school in time, but others say tuition was still too expensive, or they couldn't find a local school that met their needs.
What they're saying: "Giving all parents the power to choose the right education for their child encourages schools to compete and deliver better results for all students," Huffines has said.
The other side: This is "just another page of the rich paying less and less ... and getting more in subsidies," state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (D-Austin), who is running against Huffines this November to be comptroller, tells Axios.
The big picture: Of 85,000 students who have qualified for the vouchers, 41% are white; 28% are Hispanic; 14% are Black; 12% are multiracial; 5% are Asian or Pacific Islander; and just under 1% are Indigenous.
- 80% of participating students are in a family with a household income below 200% of the federal poverty level, or $66,000 for a family of four, per the report.