The Texas Education Freedom Act (TEFA), passed as Senate Bill 2, allows eligible families to apply for state funds to use toward approved educational expenses, including private school tuition, beginning in the 2026-27 school year. Through TEFA, eligible families may receive $10,474 per student each year to apply toward private school tuition and other approved educational costs.

The State’s family application portal opened on February 4, 2026, and will close on March 17, 2026. Families will be notified of their award beginning the week of April 6. Here are key elements of the program based on information currently published by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts:

• Students who qualify will receive $10,474.

• Students with documented disabilities who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) on file with their public school district may receive up to $30,000.

• Participation by families is optional, and acceptance into TEFA does not guarantee admission to Christ Academy.

• Christ Academy’s admissions criteria, curriculum, and Christ-centered instruction will not change as a result of TEFA participation.

TEFA funds can be applied toward several educational expenses, including private school tuition, textbooks and instructional materials, tutoring and academic testing, transportation, technology, therapies and diagnostic services, and school meals. 

Priority for TEFA funding will be given to the following groups:

• Priority Bucket 1: Children with disabilities from families earning up to 500% of the federal poverty level.

• Priority Bucket 2: Low-income families earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level.

• Priority Bucket 3: Children from households above 200% and below 500% of the federal poverty level.

• Priority Bucket 4: Children from households at or above 500% of the federal poverty level, prioritized by children who were enrolled in a Texas public school district or open-enrollment charter school for at least 90% of the preceding school year.

• Priority Bucket 5: All remaining children from households at or above 500% of the federal poverty level.

Resources for your convenience: Image of the Lottery Process and Calculation of the Federal Poverty Level.

If, during an application period, there are more acceptable applications for admission than there are available positions, a wait list will be established based on the priority categories listed above.

TEFA eligibility does not guarantee admission to Christ Academy. 

Children with disabilities receive the highest priority tier (when household income qualifies as up to 500% of the federal poverty level). Private evaluations as well as school-based evaluations are acceptable to submit as documentation to meet the priority eligibility for TEFA. However, these documents do not meet TEFA’s requirements for supplemental disability-based awards. Only those children with an IEP on file who are accepted into the program are eligible for the increased funding amount available to children with a disability.

To qualify for an award of up to $30,000 per year (instead of the standard TEFA amount), families must provide an Individualized Education Program (IEP) issued by a Texas public school district or open-enrollment charter school before the application period ends. 

We encourage families who believe their child may qualify for disability-based funding to begin the process of securing the necessary documentation from their local public school district. 

For prioritization only, an IEP of any date, an FIIE, an IEP from a state other than Texas, or a completed disability form will suffice.  

The disability form is to be completed by a licensed professional in order for a child to have priority in getting a TEFA award is available here. The instructions to fill out this form are here and here.  If you have any questions that are not answered in these documents, please contact disabilityform.tefa@cpa.texas.gov.

February 4, 2026 — TEFA family application portal opened.
March 17, 2026 — TEFA family application portal closes.
Week of April 6, 2026 — Families will begin to be notified of their award.
2026–27 school year — Funds may first be used for tuition and approved educational expenses.

Parent Application Checklist

Yes. Recognizing that not all families will receive a TEFA award for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, tuition assistance will continue to be awarded to families who meet eligibility requirements. However, if a family’s receives financial aid and also receives TEFA money, the family’s financial aid award may be adjusted.

Learn more about financial assistance at Christ Academy.

No. Christ Academy’s admissions criteria and instruction will remain unchanged. We will continue to participate only as long as the law protects and preserves the autonomy of private schools.

TEFA eligibility does not guarantee admission to Christ Academy.