How can the Texas Education Freedom Accounts help your family?
Parent applications for the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) program open on February 4, 2026, for funding that will be available for the 2026-2027 school year.
Parents are the first and most important educators for their children. The Texas Education Freedom Accounts help parents fulfill that role with more freedom and support.
A Guide to TEFA for Families (PDF) A Guide to TEFA for School Leaders (PDF)
Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) Webinar Recording
Learn more about the TEFA program from the webinars hosted by the Catholic Schools Office or from a six-part video series available on YouTube!
Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) Webinar Recording
Seminario web de información sobre las Cuentas de Libertad Educativa de Texas
Powerpoints
The Texas Education Freedom Accounts Explained (YouTube)
Todo sobre las Cuentas de Libertad Educativa de Texas (YouTube)
Diocese of Tyler TEFA Webinar PowerPoint – English
Diocese of Tyler TEFA Webinar PowerPoint – Spanish
Program Provisions
What are the Texas Education Freedom Accounts?
The Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) provide parents of students in non-public Texas schools a publicly funded, government-authorized savings account with restricted, but multiple, uses for their children’s education. Parents may use the funds to pay for eligible expenses including school tuition, school breakfasts and lunches, uniforms, tutoring, online education programs, therapies for students with special needs, textbooks or other instructional materials.
How much money is available?
$1 billion has been budgeted by the state, which will serve about 90,000 students. The amount available to each individual student is based on their circumstances:
- Students enrolling in an eligible school can receive up to $10,000
- A student with disabilities can receive up to $30,000
- Homeschooling participants can receive up to $2,000
What must parents agree to?
- Spend program money for eligible expenses only
- Share child’s assessment results with EAO
- Not sell an item purchase with program money
- Notify the EAO with in 30 days of a child enrolling in public school, graduating high school, or otherwise becoming ineligible to enroll in public school
Who is Eligible?
There are four categories of prioritization for applicants:
- Students with a disability whose family income is at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) – see chart below.
- Children whose family income is at or below 200% of the FPG.
- Children whose family income is between 201% and 500% of FPG
- Everyone else, depending upon available funds. Students who move from public schools to private schools will be prioritized over currently enrolled private school students in this category only.
Who qualifies as a “child with disabilities”?
As defined by the State of Texas, a “child with a disability”:
- Is not more than 21 years of age and has a visual or auditory impairment that prevents the student from being adequately or safely educated in public school without the provision of special services; OR
- Is at least three but not more than 21 years of age and has one or more of the following disabilities that prevent the student from being adequately or safely educated in public school without the provision of special services:
- physical disability;
- intellectual or developmental disability;
- emotional disturbance;
- learning disability, including dyslexia;
- autism;
- speech disability; or
- traumatic brain injury.
Applications
When can I apply?
Parent applications open on February 4, 2026!
A step-by-step guide to applying for the Texas Education Freedom Accounts will be coming soon!
Additional Resources
