Texas Extends ESA Application Deadline, Approves Islamic Schools After Legal Challenge

Texas families now have until March 31 to apply for the state’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program, following a court order extending the initial deadline of March 17. The extension comes after a U.S. District Judge ruled the state must consider applications from Islamic private schools that were previously excluded.

Federal Judge Orders Extension

U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett issued a temporary injunction on Tuesday, extending the application window to allow two Islamic schools, Excellence Academy and Houston Quran Academy, to apply and have their applications considered . The decision stemmed from a lawsuit filed by four Muslim parents and three private schools alleging discrimination based on religion.

Islamic Schools Approved

Following the judge’s order, the Texas Comptroller’s Office has approved Excellence Academy in McKinney as a participant in the program . Brighter Horizons Academy in Garland has also received approval, though it was not yet listed on the state’s official website as of Thursday morning .

Program Details and Concerns

The ESA program, set to initiate next school year, allows Texas families to use state tax dollars to cover private school expenses . The state had initially accepted 2,200 schools, but excluded Islamic schools, leading to accusations of religious discrimination. Lawsuits argued that as many as 30 Islamic schools were blocked from applying.

State Response and Application Surge

Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock stated the two-week extension will provide families with an additional opportunity to apply . Since the judge’s ruling on Tuesday, nearly 900 additional students have applied, bringing the total number of applications to approximately 230,000 .

Allegations of Affiliation with Problematic Organizations

The state had initially raised concerns about schools with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), which Governor Greg Abbott has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. However, during the hearing, the state’s attorney conceded that there was no evidence linking Brighter Horizons or Little Horizons to any problematic organizations . CAIR has strongly denied the terrorist organization designation and is suing the state over it.

The application deadline for the Texas Education Freedom Account program is now March 31.