Fort Worth woman defends school choice program in governor's race
Destiny Alvarez, a Fort Worth woman whose younger brother received a scholarship through the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program, wrote that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa's opposition to school choice threatens families like hers. Alvarez said school choice allowed her brother to attend Mercy Culture Preparatory, a private Christian school, and that she herself transferred to the same school during her junior year after an assault during high school prompted her family to seek other educational options.
Single source. Only one outlet has reported this so far. This label comes off on its own when a second, independent outlet confirms it.
- When it happened
- Oct. 29, 2026
- Where
- Fort Worth (candidate's home); Mercy Culture Preparatory (school attended)
- First reported by an outlet
- Oct 29, 2026 at 3:44 pm
- Reported by
- 1 outlet so far (not yet confirmed)
Taxes & money
| What | Amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| TEFA program initial funding signed by Gov. Abbott in 2025 | $1 billion[1] | Not stated |
| TEFA scholarship award range | about $10,400 to $30,000 for students with disabilities[1] | Not stated |
Who's involved
The facts
- Alvarez's younger brother now attends Mercy Culture Preparatory with help of a scholarship through the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program, which began in 2025. [1][1]
- Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation establishing TEFA in 2025 with an initial $1 billion in funding. [1][1]
- More than 274,000 students applied for TEFA in its first year, with more than 100,000 receiving scholarships. [1][1]
- TEFA scholarship awards range from about $10,400 to $30,000 for students with disabilities, and the money can be used for tuition and various educational expenses. [1][1]
- School choice has become a major issue in the Nov. 3, 2026 gubernatorial election, in which Republican Gov. Greg Abbott faces Hinojosa, who has pledged to end the state's school choice program. [1][1]
- Hinojosa's campaign proposes eliminating the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), a standardized testing system used in evaluating public school performance, and opposes the state's school takeover policy. [1][1]
- State data shows that low-income families represent the largest income group among TEFA participants and that more than 18% of participants have a qualified disability. [1][1]
Who said what
- Destiny Alvarez For my family, this is not an abstract policy debate. It means telling my brother that his scholarship will be taken away.[1]
- Destiny Alvarez I know firsthand what a difference school choice can make. My life changed forever.[1]
- Destiny Alvarez Being in an environment where I was supported and could grow as a person was something I deeply needed.[1]
- Gina Hinojosa I will commit to using all my power to put that money back in public schools.[1]
- Gina Hinojosa's campaign Has acknowledged that eliminating the program would face legislative obstacles, since Republicans hold majorities in the state Legislature.[1]
- Corey DeAngelis, research fellow at the Heritage Foundation Education is a central issue in this race. Gina Hinojosa is running to protect the government-school monopoly, not to empower parents. She is an enemy of school choice.[1]
- Destiny Alvarez Her claims couldn't be further from the truth.[1]
- Destiny Alvarez TEFA's success comes down to something simple: families know best, and they should decide what education works for them.[1]
Sources
- News Texas woman says Hinojosa’s school choice opposition threatens brother’s scholarship Heartlander News · Oct 29, 2026
Written by AI from the sources above, under fixed rules: every fact is cited, claims are kept apart from facts, and dollar figures appear only when a source states them. Mistakes get corrected in public.