Applications Open Now!
Multiply the Possibilities with Catholic Education!
In John 6, Jesus takes a small offering—five loaves and two fishes and transforms it into nourishment for thousands. This serves as a reminder of how God multiplies what we faithfully place in His hands.
Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFAs) work in a similar spirit: allowing parents to direct state-allocated education funds toward tuition and approved learning expenses, helping make a Catholic education more accessible than ever. In Catholic schools, students grow not only in knowledge but also in faith, service, and character. TEFAs help families make this life-changing education possible.
About: Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFAs)
Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) provide eligible Texas families with a state-funded education savings account that may be used for approved educational expenses for their child.
- A student who is homeschooled: $2,000 per year
- A student who attends an approved private school: $10,474 per year
- A student with a disability who has a qualifying Individualized Education Program (IEP): up to $30,000 per year
Approved uses of TEFA funds
TEFA funds may be used for approved education-related expenses, including:
- Tuition and required fees at approved private schools, prekindergarten programs, online courses, or approved training programs
- Instructional materials, including textbooks and curriculum
- Required school uniforms
- Academic assessments
- Private tutoring
- Educational therapies and services not covered by Medicaid or other government benefits
- Transportation to and from approved educational providers
- Computer hardware or software (up to 10% of the student’s annual TEFA award)
- Meals provided by a private school
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Who can apply?
To be eligible, the parent must provide proof that the child:
- Is a citizen or national of the United States or lawfully admitted into the United States.
- Is eligible to attend a public school or open-enrollment charter school or be eligible to enroll in a public or open-enrollment charter school’s pre-K or kindergarten program.
- Resides in the state of Texas.
If accepted into the program, the child will remain eligible to participate until the child graduates from high school, is no longer eligible to attend a Texas public school, charter school, or pre-K or kindergarten program, enrolls in a Texas public or charter school, or moves out of the state of Texas.
Applying for TEFA does not enroll your child in a Catholic school. Families must apply to and be accepted by a Catholic school and enroll their child by July 1 in order to use TEFA funds. Learn more about a Catholic education here.
Priority Groups
- Children with a disability who are members of a household whose total annual income is at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level.
- 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. Children who were enrolled in a Texas public school or charter school for at least 90% of the prior school year will be prioritized within this group. Funds for children in this category may not exceed 20 percent of the amount of money appropriated from the program fund for that school year.
Sibling rule: If a child is accepted for TEFA, any eligible sibling who applies during the same application period is also accepted. If you are uncertain about prioritization, we recommend reaching out to Isabel Puente.
Resource Links
- Texas Education Freedom Accounts
- TEFA Checklist
- TEFA Checklist (Spanish)
- Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops TEFA Resources
- Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops TEFA Parent Explainer PDF
- Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2025
- About School Choice | Diocese of Dallas
- Odyssey Walkthrough | Application Instructions
- Odyssey Walkthrough (Spanish) | Instrucciones Para la Solicitud
TEFA Timeline
- Late Summer 2025
- Early Fall 2025
- Sept. 1, 2025
- Sept. 30, 2025
- Fall 2025
- Feb. 4, 2026
- Mar. 17, 2026
- Week of Apr. 6, 2026
- July 1, 2026
- July 1, 2026
- Oct. 1, 2026
- Apr. 1, 2027
Late Summer 2025
State Comptroller posts requests for proposals for certified education assistance organizations (CEAOs).
Frequently Asked Questions
Any money remaining in a participating child’s account will be carried over to the next fiscal year.
A child between the ages of 3 and 5 may be eligible to enroll in a participating pre-K program if the child is at least three years old and:
- Is unable to speak and comprehend English
- Is eligible to participate in the national free or reduced-price lunch program
- Is homeless
- Is the child of an active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces
- Is the child of a member of the U.S. armed forces who is injured or killed in the line of duty
- Is in foster care
- Is the child of a person eligible for the Star of Texas Award
- Is the child of a classroom teacher at a public school that offers a pre-K class
Parents must agree to:
- Use TEFA funds only for approved educational expense
- Share the child’s required assessment results with the state’s TEFA administrator
- Not sell or transfer items purchased with TEFA funds
- Notify the state’s TEFA administrator within 30 days if the child: enrolls in a public school, graduates from high school, or otherwise becomes ineligible to enroll in a Texas public school
No. Participants in good standing stay in the program automatically. Families only need to confirm they want to continue.
A student may qualify as a child with a disability if the student is at least 3 years old and not older than 21 years old and and have one or more of the following conditions that prevent them from being adequately or safely educated in public school without special services:
- Physical disability
- Intellectual or developmental disability
- Emotional disturbance
- Learning disability, including dyslexia
- Autism
- Speech disability
- Traumatic brain injury
Documentation requirements
- For prioritization: Families may submit documentation showing the child meets eligibility for special education services under Texas rules. Acceptable documentation includes a state-required form signed by a qualified licensed professional or a Full and Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE)
- For prioritization and increased funding: A valid Individualized Education Program (IEP) qualifies a student for priority consideration and increased TEFA funding.
