Texas families may now be eligible for a new source of educational funding. Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA), a program the state recently introduced, gives eligible families more flexibility in how they support their child's education.
TEFA provides state-backed funding to eligible families to help cover approved educational expenses, including tuition at participating private schools, tutoring, homeschooling costs, and other learning tools.
We are Mathnasium of Frisco East, and in this guide, we'll explain what TEFA is, how it works, who qualifies, and how you can use it to support your child's math education.
Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) is a state-funded education savings account program established under Senate Bill 2.
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts administers the program, while Odyssey, the certified educational assistance organization, manages applications and family accounts.
With $1 billion in funding behind it, TEFA is set to become a major school choice program in Texas.
Unlike a traditional scholarship that pays out as cash, TEFA deposits funds into an account you can use for a wide variety of approved educational services from participating schools and vendors.
For many parents, the true value of TEFA is choice. It gives your family the flexibility to transition to the educational path, program, or support that fits your child best.
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TEFA works as a tiered funding program. That means the amount families receive depends on their children’s specific circumstances.
For the 2026-27 school year, funding amounts are:
$10,474 for students attending a participating private school
Up to $30,000 for students with a qualifying Individualized Education Program (IEP) on file and approved special education support
$2,000 for homeschool students
If approved, families can use their TEFA funds for a range of approved expenses, including:
Tuition at participating private schools
Tutoring services
Textbooks and instructional materials
Educational therapies
Computer hardware and software (up to 10% of the annual award)
Transportation to approved providers
Any funding that remains at the end of the school year can roll over as long as your student continues to participate in the TEFA program.
Keep in mind that TEFA funds must be directed exclusively through certified, pre-approved vendors within the official marketplace. The program does not cover non-approved expenses, such as general household supplies, uncertified informal tutors, or out-of-network service providers.
You can look up vendors in the public TEFA Vendor Finder, and once approved, log in to Odyssey to pay for tuition, tutoring, and other approved educational expenses using your TEFA funds.
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To be eligible for TEFA, your child must meet the following requirements:
Be eligible to attend a Texas public school
Be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawfully admitted resident
Live in Texas with their family
You cannot receive or use TEFA funds while enrolled in a public or open-enrollment charter school. While students currently attending public school are fully eligible to apply, they must unenroll from the public school system and transition to an approved private school or home education setting before any funds can be awarded or used.
TEFA uses income-based priority tiers rather than a simple income cutoff for applying, so families across income levels may submit an application. However, if the number of applications exceeds available funding in a given year, TEFA uses priority tiers rather than a first-come, first-served approach.
TEFA prioritizes students who qualify for special education services and lower-income households first. If your child in a household receives funding, their siblings receive priority as well, so your family can stay on the same path together.
Beyond the general eligibility criteria, some families qualify through specific pathways, including:
Students entering pre-K or kindergarten
Students who qualify for special education services
Children in foster care or adoptive families
Military-connected families
If families apply but don’t get funding in a given cycle, they may be placed on a waitlist.
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Families apply for TEFA through the official TEFA portal.
However, applications for the 2026–27 school year opened February 4 and closed March 31, 2026. If you missed this window, TEFA is an ongoing program, and you should watch the official portal for future application windows.
When the portal reopens, here's a snapshot of what to prepare:
Create your family account on the TEFA portal with your contact information.
Complete the application for each child individually, including their grade level and current educational setting.
Upload required documents, which typically include your Social Security number or ITIN, your child's Social Security number, a recent federal tax return, and proof of Texas residency. Families applying through the special education pathway will also need IEP documentation.
Submit before the deadline. Late applications are not accepted for that school year.
After families are approved, TEFA notifies them of their award.
If your child receives a TEFA award notice, the next steps depend on the educational setting you choose.
Confirm your participation. Log in to the TEFA portal to confirm participation and select either a participating private school or homeschool/other.
Confirm your school enrollment, if applicable. If your child is enrolling in a participating private school, the school will also need to confirm enrollment through the program system.
Track your funding release. TEFA funds are released in installments according to the program's schedule, and timing may vary based on your child's award type and the date you confirm participation.
Watch your deadlines. Review your award notice carefully, since missing a deadline could affect your award.
If your child isn’t selected right away, your family may be placed on a waitlist. If you receive an ineligibility notice, you may also have the option to appeal within the timeframe listed in the notice.
Because timelines can change slightly year to year, it's a good idea to check the official portal directly once a new application window is announced.
The moment your family receives an award notice, follow these strategic steps to maximize the impact of your funding:
Determine where your funding will have the greatest impact, whether that means transitioning to a full-time private school setting or directing your child's home education with targeted academic support.
Educational funds carry over from year to year as long as your child remains in the TEFA program. Map out your student’s needs over a two-to-three-year horizon so you can balance immediate tuition needs with ongoing academic support as coursework grows more demanding.
Evaluate logistics like location, scheduling flexibility, and delivery format by choosing between in-person learning, online sessions, or a hybrid model to fit your daily lifestyle.
Allocate your funds directly through the TEFA marketplace to approved vendors, such as Mathnasium, that deliver personalized instruction tailored to your child's specific goals.
Texas Education Freedom Accounts give families direct control over their educational funding, and that freedom comes with an important decision: Where will these funds make the most difference for your child?
Directing them toward math support is a decision many families find worthwhile, because developed math skills produce outcomes that reach well beyond the classroom.
A smoother transition into a new school setting. A move from public school into a private or home education program often surfaces differences in pacing and curriculum coverage. Focused math support closes those gaps early so your child starts the new environment on solid ground.
A safeguard against gaps that compound over time. Math builds on itself. A missed concept in elementary or middle school does not stay small. It shows up again in algebra, again in geometry, and again in college placement tests. The earlier it gets caught, the less ground there is to make up.
Better college and scholarship options. SAT® and ACT® math scores carry weight in admissions decisions. A solid math foundation protects your child's GPA and raises test performance, which expands access to competitive programs and merit-based aid.
Preparation for careers that demand quantitative thinking. High-growth fields across healthcare, finance, software, and engineering all require developed math skills. Beyond specific careers, the ability to analyze complex problems and reason through them systematically is a skill that transfers everywhere.
Mathnasium uses personalized learning plans and proven teaching techniques to help students build a lifetime of math skills.
Mathnasium is a math-only learning center dedicated to helping K–12 students of all skill levels catch up, keep up, and get ahead in math.
Every Mathnasium journey begins with a diagnostic assessment that identifies your child's current skills, strengths, and knowledge gaps. From those insights, we build a personalized learning plan tailored to their needs and goals so every session is time spent on exactly what will move them forward.
With the plan in place, our specially trained tutors deliver face-to-face instruction in a caring and fun group environment, both in-center and online, so your child receives consistent, quality instruction in the format that works best for your family.
Behind everything we do is a proprietary teaching approach called the Mathnasium Method™, designed around each student's individual learning needs and learning style. Because it adapts to your child rather than a fixed pace, the skills they build carry forward with them, one step at a time.
We teach for understanding, using natural language to explain math concepts and a mix of verbal, visual, mental, tactile, and written techniques so students encounter each concept from multiple angles and build lasting comprehension.
In sessions, we give students time to work through problems on their own before stepping in. When we do, we walk them through both the how and the why behind the concept, rather than simply correcting the answer. The goal is to guide students toward trusting their own reasoning. Over time, they develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking tools that serve them in math and well beyond it.
Fun is built into how we work. Sessions include game-based and hands-on activities, and students earn rewards and recognition for progress along the way. That keeps learning engaging and gives your child a reason to look forward to every session.
The results speak for themselves:
94% of parents report an improvement in their child's math skills and understanding
93% of parents report their child's improved attitude toward math after attending Mathnasium
90% of students saw an improvement in their school grades
We operate over 1,100 learning centers, bringing our proven approach close to your home.
For families in or near Frisco, TX, Mathnasium of Frisco East is a trusted local center with years of experience building confident math thinkers.
With over 100+ Google Reviews, our community recognizes our impact and has honored us with:
Reader's Choice Award Winner in Living Magazine's Best of Frisco and Plano
Best Tutoring in 2022, 2024, 2025
Best Early Education in 2023, 2025
Best Summer Camp in 2024
If you are planning to use TEFA funds to support your child's math education, Mathnasium of Frisco East is an approved TEFA vendor. Reach out to our center directly to confirm eligibility and take the first step.
📋 Call us at (972) 292-9886 or email us at [email protected]
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Mathnasium of Frisco East is a math-only learning center for K-12 students in Frisco, TX. Trusted by over a million parents, Mathnasium uses personalized learning plans and the proprietary Mathnasium Method™ to help students catch up, keep up, and get ahead on their math journey.
Our specially trained tutors deliver face-to-face instruction in a supportive and fun small-group environment, working with students both in center and online to develop a deep understanding of math, build confidence, and improve academic performance.
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(972) 292-9886
(972) 292-9886
