AUSTIN, Texas - Texas parents can begin applying for the new "education freedom accounts," for publicly funded private schooling starting on Wednesday.
The TEFA program allows parents to remove their students from public school and enroll them in private school using state-funded education savings accounts.
Here's everything you need to know to apply for your student's accounts.
How do I apply?
Once applications are open, you'll need access to your personal information documents, like social security numbers, IDs and tax forms. The TEA provided a checklist to be sure you have everything you'll need to complete the application.
When you have everything you need, the application should take about 10-20 minutes to complete, the TEA says. They've put together a full guide for the application process, which you can access here. There's also a video guide available, which you can access here.
You can complete the application on a computer, tablet or even a mobile phone.
If you have issues applying, click here for help.
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How much money is available?
In its first year, the TEFA program will be capped at $1 billion and used by up to 90,000 students. It could grow to nearly $4.5 billion per year by 2030.
The amount of money a student can receive depends on their situation.
Students with disabilities participating in an Individualized Education Program or certain Pre-K students may be eligible for up to $30,000 annually.
All other students may receive up to $2,000 each year.
Students who are accepted into the program and remain in good standing will not need to reapply each year.
If there are more applicants than spots available, priority will be given to families based on their adjusted gross income.
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Who is eligible?
Your child is eligible for TEFA if they:
- Live in Texas (at least one parent must be a Texas resident),
- Are a U.S. citizen or national or in the country legally, and
- Are eligible to enroll in a Texas public or open-enrollment charter school.
If you’re a military family, you can meet residency requirements by uploading orders that require you to be in Texas for the 2026-27 school year, even if you are not stationed in Texas when you apply.
Your child may be enrolled in a public or charter school when you apply, but they may not receive TEFA funding while enrolled in public or charter school.
Students may participate in TEFA if they meet eligibility criteria for state prekindergarten programs. See the prekindergarten section below for details.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Texas Education Agency and previous FOX Local reporting.