The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-TX) today called on the Texas community to urge the Texas Comptroller’s Office to immediately end the exclusion of Muslim families from the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program by approving eligible Islamic private schools without further delay.

TAKE ACTION NOW Contact the Texas Comptroller’s Office immediately and demand an end to the exclusion of Islamic schools from the TEFA program.

As TEFA applications opened on February 4, 2026, not a single accredited Islamic private school has been approved to participate in the program. As a result, Muslim parents across Texas are categorically barred from applying for TEFA funding to send their children to faith-based schools that meet accreditation and compliance standards.

“The Texas Education Freedom Act does not authorize religious gatekeeping, selective delay, or bureaucratic exclusion, yet that is exactly what Muslim families are experiencing right now. By failing to approve even one accredited Islamic school, the state has effectively barred Muslim parents from accessing a public benefit on equal terms,” said Imran Ghani, Executive Director, CAIR-Houston.  

He added: “Government inaction that disproportionately excludes an entire religious community is no different than an explicit ban, and courts have made that clear for decades. Texas officials must correct this immediately, or they will be complicit in violating the fundamental principles of religious freedom and equal protection. We are calling on all Texas families to stand up against this injustice and demand that public programs be administered fairly, lawfully, and without religious discrimination. Equal access delayed is equal access denied, and Texans must not accept a system that shuts families out because of their faith.”

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.  

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.   

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CONTACT: Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR-Austin Operations Manager, (512) 785-7105, szayan@cair.com; CAIR-DFW Executive Director Mustafaa Carroll, (832) 549-1042, mcarroll@cair.com; CAIR-Texas Austin Chapter Civic Engagement Organizer Sameeha Rizvi, 512-893-1371, srizvi@cair.com; Imran Ghani, Executive Director, CAIR-Houston, ighani@cair.com, 713-922-5270; John T. Floyd, CAIR National Board Member, CAIR-Texas Houston, 713-254-2016, jfloyd@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com