Head of North Texas private school expresses hope, uncertainty over private school voucher program

More than 2,100 private schools across Texas have opted in to receive tuition funds from Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA), also known as school vouchers.

The $1 billion taxpayer-funded program is the nation's largest school choice program ever. 

As of March 1, more than 141,000 Texas families have signed up for TEFA. The deadline to apply is March 17. The Texas Comptroller's Office said families should begin hearing back in early April if they will receive a voucher.

It's important to note that schools must choose to participate; they are not automatically enrolled and visible to families who are applying for the funds.

The choice has been difficult for some schools because of uncertainties about whether there will be any strings attached to the money. 

The Learning Curve spoke with the head of Trinity Christian Academy (TCA) in Willow Park about the decision. The school, with an enrollment of about 500 students in pre-K through 12th grade, signed up as soon as applications opened.

Head of school Craig Smith said he believes the program will be very beneficial to Texas education. Here is a portion of Smith's conversation with CBS News Texas, lightly edited for clarity.

Craig Smith, Trinity Christian Academy head of school: This is a chance for parents and students to be part of, in our case, a Christian education that they haven't been able to be part of before.

Lacey Beasley, CBS News Texas lead education reporter: How many new students are you expecting who will be on vouchers?

Smith: I wish I knew. I have no idea. It coincides with the open enrollment season anyway, so we're not sure exactly how much to attribute to the availability of TEFA. We're seeing a lot of interest right now and interest from some of our current families.

Beasley: This is the guinea pig year. Do you have any skepticism or any worries entering this first year of the program?

Smith: There's always a healthy skepticism. You know, we're not the suspicious types, but we're always on watch and on guard. We don't expect things to come up, but we're vigilant.

Beasley: Could you see yourselves pulling out at one point?

Smith: I believe it will be an every year thing and growing, based on the number of applications we're already seeing. You know, Texas has the record for applications now, over 100,000 have applied. The only thing that would change for us if there were government rules that aren't compatible with us, and if there are, we will immediately exit the program.

Beasley: What could some of those rules changing be?

Smith: If we were asked to change our admission policy. If we were asked to change anything about our faith-based mission, that's a that's a no go.

Beasley: I know that for students who are on vouchers, their test scores will have to be reported back to the state. Is that OK with you?

Smith: It is OK. We understand that, and parents understand that coming in, but that's all that's reported to the state as far as data. It's a test that we select and we determine. It's not a state-mandated test.

Beasley: This is admissions time this spring semester, and with these vouchers not being totally available to families until April, that's at the very end of the school year almost.

Smith: Right. It is a little bit of a juggle with the admission process because that's late in the admission year to know if someone is going to be able to come here or not. Just because you come in with the TEFA funding, it doesn't mean that you're enrolled at TCA or any other private school for that matter. This is quite a lengthy application process. If they are absolutely dependent on TEFA funding, then obviously they'll have to wait, and so we'll be waiting with them in that process.