HURST, Texas – In the early morning heat, Keith Castello drives his white pickup through empty office parks, a shopping mall and an old church, scouting sites for new classical Christian schools. Castello, an administrator with the Kyrie Christian Academy network, says demand for faith‑based education is soaring, thanks in large part to Texas’ newly‑launched education savings accounts (ESAs) that allow families to apply public funding toward private school tuition.
State funding opens doors for families
Beginning this summer, Texas rolled out a $1 billion ESA program that lets eligible families direct state money to cover private education expenses. The program, championed by the Republican‑controlled legislature, mirrors similar school‑choice initiatives approved in other states over the past six years. According to the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS), roughly half of school‑age children nationwide are now eligible to apply for such funding.
Local schools expand under the program
Castello is launching three new classical Christian schools this fall under the Kyrie Christian Academy brand. One of those schools, Covenant Christian Academy in the Dallas‑Fort Worth suburbs, already serves more than 600 students, up from 275 when Castello was headmaster. Tuition averages around $20,000, but the ESA program enables families to receive scholarships that cover a substantial portion of that cost.
Gwen Albaugh, whose husband died of cancer three years ago, received an ESA‑funded scholarship for her two children. “I know they are being taught the foundational work, both academically and in faith, and I can now provide for our family,” she said.
Conservative groups rally behind the initiative
The ACCS, founded by Idaho pastor and writer Doug Wilson, has long advocated for public support of classical Christian education. The network’s president, David Goodwin, notes that the ESA program provides a “very ambitious” opportunity to expand the reach of Christian schools, aiming for 5,000 new schools and 1.5 million students over the next decade.
Goodwin’s goals align with the Trump administration’s emphasis on school‑choice and parental‑rights policies. Former Secretary of Education and Trump cabinet member, Pete Hegseth, sent his own children to ACCS schools and continues to promote classical education within the Pentagon’s own schools on military bases.
Critics raise concerns about public‑school impact
Some education analysts, such as Tulane economist Douglas Harris, warn that diverting state dollars to private schools could strain rural public schools that rely heavily on per‑pupil funding. Advocacy groups like Americans United for Separation of Church and State argue that using taxpayer money for religious schools may violate religious‑freedom principles.
However, ACCS leaders counter that families are exercising their constitutional right to choose an education that aligns with their faith and values. They point out that many students who attend classical Christian schools still go on to public universities, contributing to the broader higher‑education system.
Looking ahead
As Texas continues to implement its ESA program, more families in Hurst, Dallas‑Fort Worth and across the state are expected to enroll their children in classical Christian schools. The initiative reflects a broader conservative effort to reshape the American education landscape by empowering parents, supporting faith‑based learning, and expanding school‑choice options.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
