ACE Scholarships’ Popularity in Texas Highlights Need for More School Choice Options

ACE Scholarships has provided more than 6,600 scholarships statewide since 2017. More educational choice options are still needed.
AUSTIN, TEXAS (January 25, 2024) — ACE Scholarships provided a record-breaking $4.1 million in scholarships to lower-income Texas K-12 students in 2023.

The organization provided scholarships to nearly 1,500 Texas students enrolled in public school alternatives during the 2023-2024 school year. More than 200 private Texas schools have enrolled ACE Scholarship recipients.

ACE received a record number of applications from Texas families in 2023, demonstrating increased demand for educational options. As record demand outpaced private scholarship funding, 2,296 students who were under 350% of the family poverty income guidelines and completed the scholarship application were not able to receive funding.

“Increasing choices helps parents find schools that meet the specific needs of their children,” ACE Scholarships Texas President Jon Lineberger said. “Traditional public schools work well for many children, but too many kids are relegated to schools that are falling short academically, or don’t have the ability to meet a child’s special needs.

“Choice empowers parents to make the best decisions for their children,” Lineberger said.

“Parents are more invested in their children’s education than ever before, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, and ACE is rising to meet their needs,” Lineberger said. “As demand increases, our team is more committed than ever to achieving our goal of providing relief to any and all lower-income families looking to take advantage of school choice programs.”

Students, parents, and educators across the country will soon celebrate National School Choice Week (Jan. 21-27), which “aims to inform, inspire, and empower families to discover and navigate all types of education options, including traditional public, public charter, public magnet, private, online, home, and nontraditional environments.”

ACE Scholarships was founded in 2000 to help increase education options for lower-income parents through partial scholarships to K-12 private schools. The nonprofit organization currently provides privately funded scholarships in 12 states, including Texas.
ACE Scholarships in Texas
Since 2017, when ACE began awarding scholarships in Texas, the organization has provided more than 6,600 scholarships totaling $15.7 million dollars. During the 2023-24 school year, ACE has provided nearly 1,500 scholarships totaling $4.1 million.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Lizzie Nealon
[email protected]
864-986-8407
To schedule an interview with Jon Lineberger, contact Lizzie Nealon.