Texas Education Department Confirms Voucher Enrollment Timeline For Early 2026

Texas families eager to enroll in the forthcoming school voucher initiative will have the opportunity to apply starting in February. Concurrently, the application process for private educational institutions aspiring to join the program is anticipated to begin before year’s end.These developments emerged from a $52 million agreement with New York-based finance and tech firm Odyssey, recently retained by Texas’ chief financial officer to assist in the program's design and administration. An examination of the contract by The Texas Tribune and ProPublica was conducted following an open records inquiry.Odyssey’s plan outlines a preliminary deadline of December 2, 2025, for schools to register as eligible options for families using state funds. The application window for parents will open on February 4, 2026, and continue until mid-March. Odyssey will also create the platform for selecting educational services and paying tuition.Overall, the program might cost Texas up to $52 million over four years, contingent on contract renewals, prompting significant budgeting forecasts for the future.