Most voucher applicants are already in private school, according to new Comptroller data

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- After years of debate, pushback, and dialogue, school vouchers are reaching a new milestone as the application process closes in just over 24 hours.

"We've been talking about school vouchers in Texas for about 20 years," University of Houston education professor Duncan Klussman said.

The families of more than 256,000 students have applied, but only around 90,000 to 100,000 students are expected to get any money.

"We're just going to have to wait and see what the numbers look like to understand the full impact," Klusman said.

Klussman said the latest data released by the Texas Comptroller on Sunday is just a first look at who vouchers may go to.

Because of the high demand, a lottery will prioritize some applicants. The highest tier is students who have a disability and whose family is at or below 500% the poverty line. That means a family of four will have to make $165,000 or less a year.

Comptroller data shows just 12% of applications fall into that category, and that more than a quarter of applicants are making more than $165,000.

Klussman anticipates this year will have the largest number of open slots for the program, as siblings of voucher students will be given priority in the selection process.

"Trying to get in early is a really important thing to do," Klussman said.

More than three-quarters of applicants are currently private school students, according to the data.

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But acceptance into the voucher program doesn't mean your child has to go to private school. Voucher money can also be spent on curriculum for homeschool programs, tutoring, and educational therapies.

Most applicants are seeking funding for pre-K, kindergarten, and first-grade students.