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• By Chloe Latham Sikes, Ph.D.• IDRA Newsletter • March 2026 •

A Texas parent and policy researcher shares concerns that the state’s voucher program could weaken public schools, reduce accountability and limit support for students.

I’m excited for my son to start kindergarten next year. I went through Texas public schools myself, and I want that experience for him. But I worry it won’t offer the same fairness or opportunity I once had.

As a parent and policy researcher for IDRA, I spent the last three years reviewing the evidence about school vouchers. I worry when I see our legislators ignore what is happening in other states where vouchers stretch state budgets, lower student spending for public schools, and lead to some of the steepest academic declines on record, worse than those following Hurricane Katrina and COVID-19 (Cowen, 2025).

At the same time, I’ve felt the cost of childcare and early education rise, leaving families stretched and uncertain. It’s easy to understand why the highest number of voucher applications have been for pre-kindergarten students (Hancock, 2026b).

Well-funded public schools can make a difference by offering after-school programs, health services, community events, and parent support specialists and counselors. Yet, as we watch schools close and programs end due to budget constraints, I’m increasingly anxious about what support my son will have in school.

Vouchers aren’t free money. They are public dollars repurposed. We all pay for it, whether we use them or not.

I know our state’s new voucher program will only make matters worse (OSOD, 2026). I want my son in public school because I want his school to be accountable to families and serve all students, and well-funded enough to keep that promise.

As applications to the school voucher program are underway, parents are asked to make choices without clear information about what this program will actually cost the state or their family.

Vouchers aren’t free money. They are public dollars repurposed. We all pay for it, whether we use them or not.

In practice, vouchers don’t cover the full cost of private school tuition and only apply after a child is enrolled, leaving families to pay upfront costs and ongoing balances. And even for families who never apply, the cost shows up elsewhere.

Voucher funding comes from the same budget that supports public schools and local services. As the program grows, those dollars compete, and families will feel the trade-offs in cuts to school programs, staffing and local services.

In this first year, the voucher program is estimated to cost Texans $1 billion (Edison, 2025). Over the next five years, it could balloon to cost us more than $10 billion (IDRA, 2025; LBB, 2026).

To date, 76% of applications to the program are for students who have never been in public school (OSOD, 2026). Most applications have come from Texas metro areas, with Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the lead. The official in charge of the program, the Comptroller of Public Accounts, already expects to request additional state funds for the voucher program next year (Hancock, 2026a).

Despite relying on these taxpayer dollars, the program offers parents no clear way to know whether their children are being set up for success. Private schools that receive voucher dollars are not required to share academic results or offer transparency about what’s taught and how students are treated. And private schools can still choose which students to admit. This lack of accountability is common in voucher systems nationwide, often with serious consequences for families (Ciletti, 2023).

Even before the voucher law took effect, school districts were already grappling with staff layoffs, cutting programs that families rely on like dual language education and, in some cases, like my son’s district, deciding which schools can stay open at all (Velez, 2025; Baker Austin, 2025). Vouchers threaten to deepen this instability, raising real fears for families who can no longer be certain their neighborhood school will still exist next year.

Vouchers are marketed as a parent’s “choice,” but that choice comes with trade-offs. To receive a voucher, parents must acknowledge that the special education services guaranteed in public school no longer apply in private settings (NCLD, 2024). In other words, vouchers offer fewer student supports and fewer ways for parents to advocate if their child’s needs change.

As my son begins public school, I want his teachers and classmates to have every resource they need to thrive: steady funding, enriching programs, and safe, supportive classrooms.

Vouchers may now be Texas law, but Texans still control what kind of education system we build. Our public schools are strong because communities care about them. It’s up to us to keep them that way by staying informed about where tax dollars go, demanding transparency and urging lawmakers to protect funding for every public school student. The future of Texas depends on the quality and stability of the  public schools we choose to sustain together.

Resources

Baker Austin, L. (October 6, 2025). Austin ISD proposes 13 school closures for 2026-27 school year. Spectrum News Austin.

Ciletti, N. (February 21, 2023). Valley couple says daughter’s school is discriminating against them because they are gay. ABC 15 Arizona.

Cowen, J. (Fall 2025). Ideology Over Evidence – The Truth About Vouchers and How They Harm Students. American Educator.

Edison, J. (May 5, 2025). Private School Vouchers Are Now Texas Law. Here’s What to Know. The 74.

Hancock, K. (March 2026). Texas Education Freedom Accounts Student Application Fact Sheet, Feb. 4 – March 8, 2026. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

Hancock, K. (March 9, 2026). Texas Education Freedom Accounts Pass 160,000 Applicants as March 17 Deadline Approaches. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

IDRA. (June 2025). Texas’ New School Voucher Law – Infographic.

LBB. (January 28, 2025). Fiscal Note, 89^th Legislative Regular Session. Legislative Budget Board.

NCLD. (2024). Private School Vouchers, Education Savings Accounts, and Tax Incentive Programs – Implications and Considerations for Students with Disabilities. National Center for Learning Disabilities.

OSOD. (March 6, 2026). Early voucher application data highlights strong support for Texas public schools. Our Schools, Our Democracy.

Velez, A. (May 30, 2025). Leander ISD considers school consolidations amid budget deficit, despite new state funding. CBS Austin.

Chloe Latham Sikes, Ph.D., is IDRA’s deputy director of policy (chloe.sikes@idra.org).

FAQs 

How does the Texas voucher program affect public schools?

The program can divert public funds from public schools, reducing resources for staffing, programs and student services.

Do vouchers cover the full cost of private school?

No. Vouchers typically do not cover full tuition, leaving families to pay upfront and ongoing costs out of pocket.

Who is applying for Texas vouchers?

Most applicants are students who have not previously attended public schools, which can increase state costs without expanding access.

Are private schools required to report student outcomes?

Private schools receiving voucher funds are not required to provide the same level of academic transparency or accountability as public schools.

What happens to student rights under voucher programs?

Students may lose access to certain protections and services, including special education support, when they enroll in private schools.

How could vouchers affect families who do not use them?

Even families who do not participate may feel the impact through reduced funding for public schools and local services.

[© 2026, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the March edition of the IDRA Newsletter. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]