Texas Education Freedom Accounts
Education savings account. About $10,000 per student.
How TEFA works
| What you get | About $10,000 per student. More for students with disabilities; $2,000 for homeschooled students. |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Any Texas school-age child may apply. Awards are made by priority tier, then lottery. |
| How full it is | More than 274,000 students applied for 2026-27; about 110,000 had been awarded by late June 2026. The program is capped at $1 billion. |
| When to apply | The first window ran in early 2026 (deadline extended to March 31). Expect the 2027-28 window early in 2027. |
| How the money moves | Funds sit in a state account run for the Comptroller; you direct payments to approved schools and vendors. |
| What it covers | Private school tuition and fees, tutoring, therapies, curriculum, classes, testing and approved supplies. |
We read this on 2026-09-20 from: Texas Comptroller, program FAQ; Texas Education Freedom Accounts, official site; Dallas Morning News, 2026-03-17, deadline extended. Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.
Run your own numbers
What would you pay?
We filled in the standard TEFA amount. Change it if your award letter says something different. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.
Which schools take it
Texas shows approved schools only through its Vendor Finder; there is no downloadable list. Rather than guess, we do not mark Texas schools as participating. Check the official finder, then ask the school.
Browse Texas private schools The state’s own list
- Private schools in Bellaire (143)
- Private schools in Houston (142)
- Private schools in Richardson (141)
- Private schools in Carrollton (127)
- Private schools in Dallas (126)
- Private schools in Plano (126)
- Private schools in Stafford (122)
- Private schools in Sugar Land (99)
- Private schools in Garland (98)
- Private schools in Coppell (96)
- Private schools in Irving (93)
- Private schools in Richmond (87)
- Private schools in Allen (82)
- Private schools in Missouri City (79)
- Private schools in San Antonio (77)
- Private schools in Frisco (73)
- Private schools in Austin (71)
- Private schools in Katy (63)
Get one email when applications open
Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state and we will email you the day the next window opens, with the official link. That is the only email you get.
One email per application window. No calls, no sharing your details.
Questions parents ask
How much does TEFA pay in Texas?
About $10,000 per student. More for students with disabilities; $2,000 for homeschooled students.
Who is eligible?
Any Texas school-age child may apply. Awards are made by priority tier, then lottery.
Does it cover the full cost of private school?
Not always. The award is a set amount and every school sets its own price. Ask each school for tuition plus fees, then subtract the award. The calculator on this page does the sum for you.
How do I know a school accepts TEFA?
Texas shows approved schools only through its Vendor Finder; there is no downloadable list. Rather than guess, we do not mark Texas schools as participating. Check the official finder, then ask the school.
When do I apply?
The first window ran in early 2026 (deadline extended to March 31). Expect the 2027-28 window early in 2027.
Other states
- Arkansas: EFA
- Oklahoma: PCTC
- Tennessee: EFS
- Missouri: MOScholars
- Florida: FES / FTC
- Arizona: ESA
- Iowa: Students First ESA
- Utah: UFA
- West Virginia: Hope
- North Carolina: Opportunity Scholarship
- Indiana: Choice Scholarship
- Ohio: EdChoice
- Alabama: CHOOSE Act
- Louisiana: LA GATOR
- Georgia: Promise Scholarship
- South Carolina: ESTF
- New Hampshire: EFA
- Idaho: PCTC