This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. 

Comptroller requests doubling Texas school voucher program to $2 billion

by Jaden Edison, The Texas Tribune
September 3, 2026

Texas’ chief financial officer requested that lawmakers double the amount of money available for the state's private school voucher program, resulting in a total of more than $2 billion.

In the appropriations request for 2028–29 biennium, Texas Comptroller Don Huffines wants the Legislature to raise the program’s base funding by $1 billion so more families can use taxpayer money to cover private school or home schooling costs.

Huffines also asked for an additional $226 million to accommodate funding increases for families currently participating in the program, which launched this school year.

“The Comptroller’s Office expects that the interest list will only grow larger as the state continues to promote the program and participating families communicate positive experiences to others in their communities,” according to the request. “The state has a moral imperative to serve these children.”

The Texas State Teachers Association on Thursday criticized the budget request, saying taxpayers need more information on who has signed up to receive voucher funding before raising the program’s price tag.

Recent state data shows that 70% of families who joined or have pending invites to the program already attended a private school or home-school.

“Many school districts have been forced to close campuses or eliminate programs to tackle budget deficits,” the association said in a statement. “We can’t afford to keep draining increasing amounts of tax dollars from these public schools to support religious and other private schools.”

Lawmakers will tackle the state’s two-year budget when the next legislative session begins in January.

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This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.