Texas School Choice: Eligibility, Awards and Applications

Official program name

Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA)

Statute / law / rule

SB 2 (89th Legislature), Education Code Chapter 29, Subchapter J

Enacted status

Enacted

Enactment date

Unknown/not verified in this audit

Effective date

Unknown/not verified in this audit

Launch / expansion

2026–27

Operating status

Operating

Eligibility model

Broad eligibility; priority tiers and limited funding

Eligible student groups

Texas-resident children eligible for public school; lawful-presence requirements. Pre-K has additional eligibility conditions.

Income rule

No general ceiling. Priority tiers: disability and ≤500% FPL; ≤200% FPL; >200–500% FPL; >500% FPL.

Disability rule

Priority and enhanced award are different tests. Higher private-school award depends on a qualifying district IEP.

Prior-public attendance

Not generally required; prior public attendance affects the highest-income allocation.

Kindergarten rule

Public-school age eligibility; see state age and residency rules.

Home education

Permitted under the $2,000 other-education category; not the private-school award.

Private-school tuition

Yes, at approved participating private schools.

Current award

2026–27: $10,474 private school; up to $30,000 with qualifying IEP; $2,000 other education.

Award formula

Private-school base equals 85% of the specified average state/local public-school funding measure. IEP category uses the applicable disability formula.

Maximum award

$30,000 for eligible private-school students with qualifying IEP; not a universal amount.

Approved uses

Approved tuition, curricula, texts, tutoring, assessments, transportation and therapies; hardware/software limited to 10% of award; private-school meals under program rules.

Restrictions / prohibited uses

Payments to family members and duplicate government-paid services are restricted. Expense eligibility does not guarantee vendor approval.

Rollover

Unused eligible funds can remain while participation continues.

Application timing

2026–27 window February 4–March 31, 2026; closed. A 2027–28 interest list is not an application.

Renewal

Participants in good standing confirm continuation; follow the administrator's annual process.

Enrollment cap

Funding-limited; >500% FPL group limited to 20% of available allocation.

Funding / appropriation

$1 billion initial authorization/appropriation ceiling for the biennium ending August 31, 2027; not expenditure.

Lottery / waitlist / priorities

Lottery within statutory priority groups when demand exceeds funding; public-school attendance priority within highest-income tier.

Administrator

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Account / payment platform

Odyssey; private-school installments 25% July 1, 25% October 1, 50% February 1; other-education funds 100% July 1.

Participating-school rules

Recognized accreditation, at least two years of operation, participation approval and annual assessments in grades 3–12.

Provider rules

Approval by the program administrator; eligible service and provider must both qualify.

Assessment requirements

Participating private schools administer a nationally norm-referenced assessment annually in grades 3–12.

Audit / reporting

Annual independent program audit plus state-auditor oversight.

Parent documents

Parent/student identity and lawful-presence evidence, Texas residency, household income records; qualifying IEP for enhanced award.

Residency

Parent and child must satisfy Texas residency requirements.

Misuse controls

Purchases reviewed through approved accounts; improper expenditures subject to enforcement and recovery under SB 2.

Litigation

Unknown/not verified in this audit

Verified order scope

Unknown/not verified in this audit

Latest reviewed update

Official home page reports more than 274,000 applications and more than 100,000 awards for the inaugural cycle.

Enrollment / award data

More than 100,000 awards reported on the current program home page; awards are not verified enrollment.

Actual expenditure

Unknown/not verified in this audit

Evidence gaps

Enactment/effective dates, final 2026–27 enrollment, actual expenditure and any current case docket remain unverified. Family FAQ retains an older March 17 deadline; current home page says March 31.

Official evidence for this record

• Texas Education Freedom Accounts — current program — Agency program guidance. Reviewed for the October 10, 2026 baseline. Live pages may change. Checked 2026-10-10.
• TEFA family guidance — Agency FAQ. Award, uses, priority and payment guidance reviewed. Its March 17 date conflicts with the newer home page extension to March 31; the latter controls this calendar. Checked 2026-10-10.
• Texas SB 2 enrolled text — Enacted session law. Reviewed for the October 10, 2026 baseline. Live pages may change. Checked 2026-10-10.
• TEFA parent application guide — Agency application guide. Reviewed for the October 10, 2026 baseline. Live pages may change. Checked 2026-10-10.

Verified 2026-10-10 · Version 18.1.0 · Link to this record

State context · Official program / application starting point

School year / cycle

2026–27

Opens

2026-02-04

Application deadline

2026-03-31

Renewal deadline

Not located in this audit

Lottery date

Not located in this audit

Award notifications

Awards announced; current home page reports more than 100,000 awards.

Application status

Closed

Calendar interpretation

March 31 extension on current home page supersedes older March 17 family FAQ.

Official application starting point

Open the official program / application instructions

Official evidence for this record

• Texas Education Freedom Accounts — current program — Agency program guidance. Reviewed for the October 10, 2026 baseline. Live pages may change. Checked 2026-10-10.

Verified 2026-10-10 · Version 18.1.0 · Link to this record