Families living within Dallas ISD boundaries make up the second largest share of participants in Texas' new private school voucher program, per a recent state report.

Why it matters: Public school advocates warn the vouchers will harm public schools, while supporters argue parents shouldn't have to send their kids to underperforming public schools.

The big picture: About 85,000 students statewide are participating as of the end of July, out of 274,000 applications received.

• 121,000 more students are on the waitlist.

Zoom in: Four North Texas school district boundaries are among the state's top 10 districts where voucher recipients live.

• 2,645 students who live within Dallas ISD boundaries are getting vouchers, per the report from Texas Comptroller Don Huffines. The district had around 134,000 students between early childhood and 12th grade in 2025-26.
• 1,764 students who live in the Fort Worth ISD area are getting vouchers, along with 1,140 from Plano ISD and 1,021 from Garland ISD.

How it works: The $1 billion program 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.

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 said upon the release of the figures earlier this month.

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.

Follow the money: The program could cost nearly $4 billion by 2030, per a state fiscal analysis.

Between the lines: Most recipients come from lower-income households — 80% of participating students are in families earning less than 200% of the federal poverty level, or $66,000 for a family of four.

• Almost 25% of participating students have a qualifying disability, per the report.

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Dallas and Fort Worth ISDs increased their overall accountability scores for the third consecutive year in the Texas Education Agency's 2026 school ratings, released Friday.

Why it matters: Every year, the TEA evaluates districts and schools based on academic growth, student achievement and performance in comparison to their peers.

• 1 in 4 districts and campuses statewide earned a higher rating this year compared to last year, per the TEA.

State of play: Carroll, Wylie and Argyle ISDs had the highest overall scores in North Texas. Kemp ISD in Kaufman County was among the lowest scoring districts in the state this year.

Zoom in: Fort Worth ISD improved its overall score of 73 last year to 77 this year. The district has been under state oversight since October 2025 because of past TEA ratings.

• Dallas ISD received an overall score of 76, a C rating, in 2023. This year, the district scored 85 to receive a B rating.

What we're watching: How private school vouchers and rising operational costs influence school budgets, and whether those changes will trickle down into school quality.

Explore the data

🙏 DFW Airport scrapped a plan to add privately funded washing stations for Muslim travelers after pushback from Gov. Greg Abbott. (DMN)

👀 A doctoral student at SMU lost a book deal reportedly worth over $2 million after he was accused of using AI for some of his crime novel. The student has declined the claims. (KERA)

🚍 FlixBus has added a direct bus route between Dallas and Nashville, with departures five days a week. (CultureMap)

A new cafe in The Colony blends coffee shop culture and restaurant ambiance, hoping guests will want to stay a while and come back.

Vibe check: TQM Café has green and blush pink decor, greenery-filled walls and lots of seating. TQM stands for "Te quiero mucho," the Spanish phrase for "I love you very much" and a nod to the globally inspired menu.

• Owners Miner Denk and Amir Homayounpour have been at the shop every day since it opened this month, talking to customers, gathering feedback and sampling future menu options. Weekend brunch and geisha coffee are coming next.

The intrigue: Denk has Chinese heritage and grew up in Panama. Homayounpour is a longtime North Texan with Iranian heritage.

• "This is the cafe that we envisioned together, every single detail. We curated everything," says Denk, a foodie and content creator.

What to order: Iced lychee matcha — made with four ounces of ceremonial matcha, a matcha cloud and small pieces of the fruit.

Where: TQM Café, 2851 Plano Parkway, in The Colony.

Cost: $9 for the matcha.

Six word review: Remote work oasis with welcoming owners.

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