Texas Yass Prize awards $4 million to 11 school choice education providers

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(The Center Square) – Eleven education providers from eight states received $4 million in funding through a new awards program created after Texas implemented a new school choice program this year. 

They received recognition and funds through an inaugural Texas Yass Prize Education Freedom Award at an event in Austin Tuesday night headlined by Gov. Greg Abbott. 

The award is named after Pennsylvania billionaire Jeff Yass who donated $6 million to Abbott’s campaign in 2023, which his campaign said was the “largest single donation in Texas history.” 

Abbott’s campaign used the money to support Republican candidates who challenged and largely defeated incumbent Texas House members in the 2024 election. Incumbent House Republicans were targeted after they opposed a school choice bill in the 2023 legislative session. 

This year, newly elected Republican House members, led by now Speaker Dustin Burrows, delivered on their promise to pass the state’s first school choice Education Savings Account program, The Center Square reported. It provides taxpayer-funded subsidies for primarily low-income families of roughly $10,000 to support roughly 100,000 students. Parents can use the funds to send their children to schools of their choice, including private schools.

“Texas is leading the way in giving parents the freedom to choose the best education for their children,” Abbott said. “We expanded school choice, increased public school funding to record levels, and expanded career training programs across Texas. By empowering families with real opportunities through school choice, we will ensure students thrive and every child can access high-quality education that builds a brighter future for generations to come.”

An initiative of the Yass Prize, the Texas Education Freedom Award was created this year “to accelerate the growth of new opportunities for students and meet the growing demand from families seeking better options” in Texas once the ESA program is fully operational next year.

The Yass Prize leadership and University of Austin hosted the event; Abbott was joined by Burrows, UATX President Carlos Carvalho, State Rep. Brad Buckley, who authored the school choice bill, and Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock, who is overseeing the rollout of the new ESA program. 

The 11 Texas Education Freedom Award winners include six organizations based outside of Texas that will use the funds to offer educational services in Texas. Based in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio and Virginia, they include: 

• Build UP of Birmingham, AL, which is expanding operations in Brownsville;

• ASU Preparatory Academy, a Phoenix, AZ-based charter school, which is launching 10 microschools in Texas;

• Primer Microschools, based in Miami, FL, serving K-8 students in multiple states, is launching up to 10 campuses and 30 microschools in Texas; 

• Cristo Rey Network, based in Chicago with 40 faith-based schools nationwide, is expanding its Fort Worth campus, combining academics with work experience.

• KaiPod Learning, based in Newton, MA, serving students in multiple states, is incubating at least 50 new microschools in Texas to provide personalized learning;

• Partnership Schools of Cleveland, OH, a Catholic school management organization developing elementary schools in underserved areas, is expanding K-8 schools in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio;

• RISE Hybrid Private Academy, based in Fredericksburg, VA, providing virtual learning to students in all 50 states, is offering in-person learning and online courses for homeschool students and enrolling hundreds of students.

Four Texas-based recipients include: 

• Cafe Momentum of Dallas is providing culinary training for justice-involved youth; 

• Families Empowered of Texas is expanding support to parents accessing a new school choice framework in Texas;

• Leading Little Arrows of Arlington is providing support to homeschool parents and caregivers opening new learning environments in Tyler and Whitehouse; 

• Neighborhood Schools of Houston is increasing its enrollment at existing preschool locations.

“Texas has seized on the increasing parent power movement and these incredible education leaders will contribute to the already rich Texas education landscape in offering a variety of incredible learning opportunities for students,” said Jeanne Allen, founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform, which powers the Yass Prize. “We can’t wait to work with them and see them flourish.”