Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) for homeschoolers: a plain-English guide

A student whose family selects homeschool ("homeschool/other") receives up to $2,000 a year. Students attending participating private schools receive a larger amount, so the figure depends on the setting you choose on the application.

The money is held in an account on the program's platform (run by Odyssey for the Comptroller) and spent on approved expenses through that platform. It is not paid to families as cash.

Texas resident children who are eligible to attend a Texas public school can apply, whether they currently attend public school, private school or homeschool. Applying does not guarantee an award: funding is capped, and in the first year applications far exceeded available places.

Applications in 2026 asked for Social Security numbers for the parent and child, recent income tax returns and proof of Texas residency, so gather these early.

When there are more applicants than funding, awards follow priority tiers set by the program. For 2026–27 the highest priority went to students with a disability in households at or below 500% of the federal poverty guidelines, followed by tiers based on household income. Within each tier, places were allocated by lottery.

In August 2026 the Comptroller reported more than 100,000 students funded and more than 100,000 on the waitlist. Being on the waitlist is not an award; check your account for updates.

Funds can only be spent on approved education expenses with approved vendors through the program's platform. For homeschoolers these typically include curriculum and instructional materials, online courses, tutoring and academic assessments, with limits on some categories such as technology.

The approved list and vendor list are set by the program and can change. Before you plan a purchase, search for the exact item or provider inside the platform, and keep your purchase confirmations — accounts can be audited.

No. In Texas a homeschool is a private school run by the parent, and the requirements stay the same: a bona fide program using a curriculum in visual form that covers reading, spelling, grammar, math and good citizenship. TEFA is an optional funding program on top of that. Read the program terms carefully before you accept an award so you understand any reporting or testing it asks for.

The first application window ran from February to March 2026. At the time of writing, dates for 2027–28 had not been published; the program invites families to sign up for updates on EducationFreedom.Texas.gov. If you plan to apply, gather your documents early and decide whether you will choose homeschool or a private school on the application.

• Put the money where free resources fall short — often a strong math program, high school science, or tutoring for a stubborn gap.
• Use free structured lessons (such as Success Homeschool's curriculum library), the public library and museum homeschool days for everything else.
• Keep a simple plan of what you buy and why; it helps with records and next year's budget.