Today is an exciting day in Texas as applications open for the state’s new Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA). The program allows families to use state funding for private school tuition and other educational expenses, rather than having it locked into their assigned district schools.

It’s about time Texas families had access to parental choice in education. While many kids do well in their assigned school, no single school can meet the needs of every child who happens to live near it. Some kids need more individualized attention or a more flexible environment, some families want religious instruction or a school that aligns better with their families, and some kids have been bullied and need a safer place. Educational choice programs, like TEFA, help families afford other options.

While this is new for Texas, educational choice programs have been around for decades and are now in more than 30 states. This year, more than 1.5 million students participated in a choice program, including vouchers and tax credit scholarships that can be used for private school tuition as well as education savings accounts and refundable tax credits that can also be used for a variety of educational expenses.

...read more at cato.org