Bible stories now required in Texas public schools
Texas voted to add Bible stories and verses to curriculum, sparking debate over religion in public education policy.
Texas’ new comptroller was sworn in — and used his first day in office to announce that more than 85,000 students have been funded through the state’s new $1 billion school voucher program for the 2026-27 school year.
Former Republican state Sen. Don Huffines was sworn in Saturday, Aug. 1, as chief financial officer of Texas, filling the remainder of the term after being appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott. He is also the Republican candidate for a full four-year term on the November ballot and is set to face Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt.
Huffines assumed the position of comptroller as the office oversees the rollout of the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program — the third largest education savings account program.
In a statement, Huffines pledged to cut wasteful spending, protect state tax dollars and deliver property tax relief to Texans.
“The people of Texas work hard for their money,” Huffines said. “At a time when families are feeling the pressure of higher housing costs, gasoline prices, grocery bills and everyday expenses, they must have confidence that every tax dollar is being spent wisely.”
Huffines also announced that he would refuse the state salary allocated to the comptroller.
85,000 students funded in Texas school voucher program’s first year
The same day Huffines was sworn into his official capacity as comptroller, he announced that more than 85,000 student TEFA accounts had been funded for the 2026-27 school year.
This comes after the office received around 274,000 applications, with more than 248,000 students determined eligible but more than 121,000 still on the waitlist.
The comptroller’s office also released its first annual report to the Legislature on student participation, which found that almost 25% of participating students have a qualifying disability and that 80% of participating students are from families with household incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level.
The following table shows the number of students who applied for vouchers and the number funded, by race and ethnicity.
| Race/Ethnicity | Eligible Applicants | Funded Participants |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 1,639 | 583 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 20,084 | 4,305 |
| Black | 27,969 | 11,570 |
| Hispanic | 57,991 | 24,043 |
| Multiracial | 28,442 | 10,051 |
| White | 112,587 | 34,792 |
The report also broke down the top five public school districts that are seeing the most students participating in the program:
- Houston ISD — 3,327 students
- Dallas ISD — 2,645 students
- Northside ISD (San Antonio) — 2,271 students
- Fort Bend ISD — 2,024 students
- Fort Worth ISD — 1,764 students
“Parents from every walk of life are demanding the power to direct their children’s education,” Huffines said. “Giving all parents the power to choose the right education for their child encourages schools to compete and deliver better results for all students. The initial success of this program speaks for itself.
When did the school voucher system start in Texas?
The TEFA — formerly known as Senate Bill 2 — was authored by then-state Sen. Brandon Creighton — now chancellor of the Texas Tech University System — during the 89th Texas Legislature in 2025.
It was signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday, May 3, 2025 and is set to start paying out for the 2026-27 school year.
Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.