Texas School Voucher Program: A Guide to Using Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA)
Everything you need to know about Texas Education Freedom Accounts, eligibility, approved expenses, learning resources for your child, and more.
What Is the Texas Education Freedom Account?
Understanding the Texas School Voucher Program
The Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) program is the official designation for the Texas school choice program and voucher initiative. It functions like an Education Savings Account (ESA), allowing Texas families to use state-funded education dollars for approved educational expenses through Odyssey, the program’s official marketplace.
Whether you’re exploring private school, homeschooling, or supplemental learning resources, understanding how the TEFA program works can help you make informed decisions about your child’s education. This guide explains TEFA eligibility, approved uses, and how to choose educational programs and resources that can best support your child’s learning needs.
Overview of the Texas Education Freedom Account
- The Texas Education Freedom Account is a state-funded Education Savings Account (ESA) program that helps eligible families pay for approved educational expenses outside the traditional public school system.
- Private school students: Up to $10,474 per year (for the 2026–27 school year) to use for approved educational expenses through the TEFA marketplace.
- Students with disabilities enrolled in an approved private school: May receive up to $30,000 per year, depending on the level of special education funding associated with the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).
- Homeschooled students (or students not enrolled in an approved private school): $2,000 per year for approved educational expenses.
- The program was created by the Texas Legislature in 2025 through Senate Bill 2 and is administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
- Eligible families receive state funds that can be used through the official TEFA marketplace for approved educational products and services.
- Approved expenses may include private school tuition, tutoring, curriculum, instructional materials, educational technology, online learning programs, educational therapies, and other qualifying education-related purchases. These approved products and services must be purchased through the official TEFA marketplace (families do not receive unrestricted cash payments).
- Children must meet the program’s eligibility requirements, including being Texas residents who are eligible to attend a Texas public school or qualifying public pre-K or kindergarten program.
- If more families apply than funding allows, applicants are selected according to the state’s prioritization process established in law.
- Approved educational programs, curriculum, and online learning resources available through the marketplace can help support homeschooling, private education, or supplemental learning.
- Apply for the TEFA Education Savings Account by completing a household application during the designated window. Applications are submitted online through the Texas Education Freedom Accounts Portal, and allocations are distributed based on program priority guidelines rather than a first-come, first-served basis.
Who Is Eligible for the Texas Education Freedom Account?
To be eligible for a Texas Education Freedom Account, a child must meet all of the program’s eligibility requirements established by state law. Parents should also know that meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee funding. If the number of eligible applicants exceeds available funding, the state uses a priority system and lottery to award accounts.
Eligibility Requirements for Texas Education Freedom Account
- Must be a Texas resident
- Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawfully admitted into the United States
- Must be eligible to attend a Texas public school or open-enrollment charter school, or be eligible to enroll in a qualifying public prekindergarten or kindergarten program
Once accepted into the program, a child generally remains eligible as long as they continue to meet program requirements. Eligibility ends if the child:
- Enrolls full-time in a Texas public school or charter school
- Moves out of Texas
- Graduates from high school
For the most up-to-date eligibility requirements and application information, families should visit the official Texas Education Freedom Account website, as program rules and application details may change over time.
Prioritization Guidelines for Texas Education Freedom Account
According to page 5 of the Texas Education Account Parent Guide, if eligible applicants exceed available funding, they will be prioritized in the following way:
- Children with a qualifying disability who are members of a household whose total annual income is at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level (see section on students with disabilities for details)
- Children who are members of a household whose total annual income is at
or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level - Children who are members of a household whose total annual income is between 200% and 500% of the Federal Poverty Level
- Children who are members of a household whose total annual income is at or above 500% of the Federal Poverty Level. Within this group, children who were enrolled in a Texas public school or charter school for at least 90% of the prior school year will be prioritized. Funds for children in this category may not exceed 20% of the amount of money appropriated from the program fund for that school year.
Texas Education Freedom Account Application and Fund Dispersal Timelines
The TEFA program is administered by the Texas Comptroller through the digital vendor platform Odyssey. For the 2026-2027 school year, applications opened on February 4th and closed on March 17th, with award notifications starting in April and the first round of funds being available through Odyssey from July 1st through mid August. Additional funding will be allocated no later than Oct. 1 and April 1, 2027. See page 7 of the TEFA Parent Guide for more details.
What Can TEFA Funds Be Used For?
Families accepted into the Texas Education Freedom Account program can use their funds to purchase approved educational products and services through Odyssey, the official TEFA marketplace.
TEFA funds may be used for approved expenses such as:
- Private school tuition and fees at participating schools.
- Online educational courses and programs offered by approved providers.
- Curriculum, textbooks, and instructional materials that support your child’s education.
- Educational programs and learning resources, including approved digital learning products available through the marketplace.
- Private tutoring and academic support services provided by approved education providers.
- Educational therapies that are not covered by federal, state, or local government benefits.
- Computer hardware and educational software, subject to the program’s spending limits.
- Transportation to approved educational providers and certain other qualifying education-related expenses.
TEFA-Approved Online Learning Programs for Preschool Through Middle School
Online learning programs can be a valuable addition to a child’s education, whether they’re attending a private school, learning at home, or using digital resources for extra practice after school. Many programs offer interactive lessons, educational games, videos, and adaptive instruction that allow children to learn at their own pace while building confidence in core subjects. There is a growing amount of research that highlights the benefits of using online game-based learning to increase motivation, comprehension, and recall of new materials.
What to Look for in Digital Learning Programs
- Age-appropriate instruction
- Research-based curriculum
- Interactive lessons that keep children engaged
- Progress tracking for parents
- Multiple subjects or targeted skill support
- Ability to learn at the child’s own pace
Many families find that a combination of resources works best. For example, a child might use a comprehensive curriculum as their primary learning program while using separate reading or math programs for additional practice in areas that need extra support.
Examples of Approved Digital Learning Platforms
Age of Learning’s digital education products are designed to support children in Pre-K through 8th grade. They’re already approved for purchase with your TEFA funds and are waiting for you in Odyssey.
ABCmouse offers a research-validated curriculum for Pre-K–2nd grade that’s designed by education experts. With 13,000+ engaging activities across reading, math, science, social studies, and art, ABCmouse helps children build a strong academic foundation.
My Math Academy is an adaptive math program for Pre-K–5th grade that helps children build strong foundational math skills through personalized games and interactive instruction. Research-based lessons develop number sense, problem-solving, and mathematical thinking.
My Reading Academy is an adaptive reading program for Pre-K through 2nd grade that uses the Science of Reading to build foundational literacy skills through personalized games, stories, videos, and instruction. Children develop phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, sight words, and reading comprehension as they progress.
Adventure Academy is an educational Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game for children ages 8–13. It blends core academic subjects, like math, reading, science, and history, into a fully immersive, quest-driven virtual world that help motivate kids to learn.
ReadingIQ offers over 1,000 books for children ages 2 through 10 and makes it easy to track and monitor your child’s progress as he or she reads and learns. You can view detailed reports on how many books your children are reading, the level he or she is reading at, and more.
How to Use Your Texas ESA Funds for Age of Learning Products
Families enrolled in the Texas TEFA program can purchase ABCmouse, My Math Academy, My Reading Academy, Adventure Academy, and ReadingIQ with their ESA funds in just a few simple steps:
Log in to your Odyssey Portal for the Texas EFA program.
Access the marketplace from your portal.
Search for ABCmouse, My Math Academy, My Reading Academy, Adventure Academy, ReadingIQ or our Learning Bundle.
Select the subscription option and check out.
Once your order is confirmed, you will receive an email with your product access code(s) to start your learning journey.
The Texas School Voucher Program: Frequently Asked Questions About the TEFA Program
What is the Texas Education Freedom Account?
The Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) is an education savings account (ESA) program that provides eligible families with state-funded dollars to spend on approved educational expenses through the official TEFA marketplace. Families can use the funds for qualifying products and services such as curriculum, online learning programs, tutoring, and private school tuition.
Who is eligible for the Texas Education Freedom Account?
To qualify, a child must meet the eligibility requirements established by the State of Texas, including residency requirements and eligibility to attend a Texas public school or qualifying prekindergarten or kindergarten program. If more families apply than funding allows, applicants are selected according to the priority system established in state law.
How much money do families receive through TEFA?
The amount of funding available through the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) depends on your child’s educational setting and individual circumstances.
- Students attending a participating private school: $10,474 per year (for the 2026–27 school year), which is 85% of the estimated statewide average state and local funding per public school student.
- Students with disabilities attending a participating private school: Up to $30,000 per year, depending on the level of funding associated with the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) on file with the Texas Education Agency.
- Homeschooled students (or students not enrolled in a participating private school or qualifying pre-K or kindergarten program): $2,000 per year to spend on approved educational expenses through the TEFA marketplace.
Award amounts are established by the State of Texas and may change in future school years.
What can TEFA funds be used for?
TEFA funds may be used for approved educational expenses available through the official marketplace, including curriculum, online learning programs, instructional materials, tutoring, educational technology, academic assessments, educational therapies, and private school tuition.
Can homeschool families use the Texas Education Freedom Account?
TEFA funds may be used for approved educational expenses available through the official marketplace, including curriculum, online learning programs, instructional materials, tutoring, educational technology, academic assessments, educational therapies, and private school tuition.
Can TEFA funds be used for online learning programs?
Yes. Families can use TEFA funds to purchase approved online educational programs offered through the TEFA marketplace. Depending on what’s available, these programs may support reading, math, science, social studies, and other core subjects.
What is the difference between TEFA and the Texas voucher school program?
The Texas Education Freedom Account is sometimes referred to as the Texas voucher school program, but it operates as an education savings account (ESA). Instead of receiving a traditional school voucher, eligible families receive state funds that can be used for a variety of approved educational expenses through the official TEFA marketplace.
Can I use TEFA funds for private school tuition?
Yes. Eligible families may use TEFA funds to help pay tuition and certain fees at participating private schools, provided the school and expenses meet the program’s requirements.
How do I find approved educational products?
Families can browse the official TEFA marketplace to search for approved educational products, curriculum, online learning programs, tutoring services, and participating vendors. The marketplace is updated as providers and products are approved.
Is the Texas voucher school program available to every family?
No. Families must meet the program’s eligibility requirements, and if applications exceed available funding, accounts are awarded according to the priority system established by the State of Texas.
Where can I apply for the Texas Education Freedom Account?
Families can learn more about eligibility, application deadlines, approved providers, and the official marketplace by visiting the Texas Education Freedom Account website.
