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Texas Families Need More Access to Public Charter Schools

Texas Families Need More Access to Public Charter Schools

Texas Families Need More Access to Public Charter Schools

Texas Families Need More Access to Public Charter Schools

Texas Families Need More Access to Public Charter Schools

From Laredo to Houston, Texas families are asking for more high-quality public school opportunities, including more public charter schools.

Unfortunately, Texas isn’t keeping up with demand. The number of students on public charter school waitlists reached an all-time high this school year. We need to deliver for these children and parents.

The Biggest Increases in Student Names on Waitlists By Metro Area

TOTAL STUDENT NAMES

Public charter school waitlists got longer in metro areas across the state. That includes:

Large cities such as Houston and Dallas, where tens of thousands of students remain stuck without a seat
Waco, where the number of student names on waitlists more than doubled as public charter schools have proven they meet families’ needs
Laredo, where the number of student names on waitlist more than quintupled

Too many families are 
still waiting.

Don't just take our word for it

Meridian School in Round Rock has a waitlist of 2,630 students.

“The truth is that getting into Meridian School literally felt like a multi-million dollar prize for our family. We didn’t just want it; we needed it. Both my children had their educational experience — and frankly, their lives — put onto a completely different trajectory after moving to an environment that was suited to their needs.”
Jennifer Noonan
Parent

Beatrice Mayes Institute enrolls about 460 students, but 120 more are on the waitlist. That means 1 in 5 students who want to attend aren’t able to do so.

"Ever since my parents founded the organization in 1966 and transitioned the school (K-8) to a public charter school, Beatrice Mayes Institute has meant so much to the community. It's the school I attended and the place I returned, after working for NASA, because I want all children to believe in their potential. Many of our teachers are alumni and all the work we do is out of love.

Today, more families want to send their students here than we have seats available. We need BMI to be able to grow so that we can provide rich educational opportunities to everyone who needs support."
Christopher Mayes
Superintendent
Data Source: 2023 Charter School Waitlist Report, published by the Texas Education Agency, and associated campus-level data.
Questions? Contact research@txcharterschools.org
512-584-8272 | 3005 S Lamar Blvd, Suite D-447, Austin, TX, 78704