Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton confirmed that the state Comptroller can restrict taxpayer funding to private schools suspected of ties to terrorist groups or foreign adversaries. The statement, issued on Saturday, clarifies oversight under the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program.
Under the TEFA program, schools that violate laws prohibiting material support to terrorist organizations are barred from receiving state funds, as outlined in Senate Bill 2. Attorney General Ken Paxton emphasized, “Texans’ tax dollars should never fund Islamic terrorists or America’s enemies,” highlighting the program’s focus on protecting taxpayer money.
Attorney General Paxton said his office is prepared to defend the Comptroller’s decisions to ensure the TEFA program is not misused by entities considered hostile to national security. Meanwhile, public reports indicate that eligibility determinations for some private and Christian schools have been delayed. These decisions and the timing of approvals fall under the Comptroller’s office, not Paxton’s.
This development highlights Texas’s efforts to ensure taxpayer funds are protected from entities considered a national security risk, while balancing educational freedom under the TEFA program.
