Federal Judge Orders Texas Voucher Deadline Extension

A federal judge in Houston ordered Texas officials on March 17, 2026, to extend the application deadline for the state's new school voucher program to March 31 and to consider applications from several Islamic private schools, following lawsuits that alleged religious discrimination in the program's rollout.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett came amid complaints from four Muslim parents and three Islamic school operators, who filed federal suits earlier in March claiming the state had systematically excluded Islamic institutions despite their meeting eligibility criteria. The plaintiffs argued that the exclusions stemmed from the schools' religious identity and unsubstantiated associations with Muslim civil rights groups, rather than evidence of unlawful activity. Prior to the order, no Islamic schools had been approved for the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, even as more than 2,200 other private schools gained entry.

The program, authorized by Senate Bill 2 and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2025, allocates $1 billion in public funds to help families cover private school tuition, homeschooling costs or specialized education. Eligible families...