How TEFA funds pay out: amounts, the installment dates, and what the account can buy

Short answer, as of October 8, 2026: TEFA money never lands in your bank account. The state puts it in an account managed by Odyssey, and that account pays your child's school or an approved vendor. For 2026-27 a private-school account holds $10,474, paid in three parts; a homeschool account holds up to $2,000, paid at once; a child with an IEP at a participating private school can have up to $30,000. Below are the dates, the list of allowed spending, and the two rules parents ask about most.

The 2026-27 payment calendar (official site)

These dates come from the live official site. An older Parent Application Guide PDF gives a different final date; we follow the live page. The Comptroller's June 30 release said nearly 73,000 accounts received the first payment on July 1. The deadline tracker lists each payment date next to the application milestones.

Because the last half arrives in February, a school's own tuition schedule matters. Some schools bill per semester; some wait for the account. Ask the school office how it handles the February payment, and use the net-cost calculator to see the gap you pay yourself. We note each school's answer on its profile when the school confirms it.

How a school gets paid

Schools join through Odyssey's school portal. After a family selects a school, the school confirms the student's enrollment and sets the tuition in the portal (the official Schools page links a "Student Verification & Setting Tuition Guide"). In 2026-27, families awarded before June 22 had until July 15 to select a school, and schools had until July 31 to confirm enrollment. Waitlisted families awarded later get four weeks from the award date to complete the steps.

What the account can buy

The official Families page lists the approved education-related expenses. Quoted:

• "Tuition and fees at a private school, higher education provider, online educational course or program, or program that provides training for an industry-based credential approved by the Texas Education Agency."
• "Textbooks or other instructional materials."
• "Required uniforms."
• "Fees for classes provided by school districts that do not qualify the child to be included in school's average daily attendance."
• "Academic assessment costs."
• "Private tutoring."
• "Transportation to/from approved providers."
• "Educational therapies not covered by any federal, state, or local government benefits (i.e, Medicaid)."
• "Computer hardware or software (must not exceed 10 percent of the total amount transferred to the child's account that year)."
• "Meals provided by private school."

The FAQ adds that funds can go to online or out-of-state programs "if the provider applies for approval and is accepted into the program", and to approved career and technical education programs.

Two rules to know

The 10% computer rule. Hardware and software together may not exceed 10% of what was transferred to the account that year. On a $10,474 account that is about $1,047; on a $2,000 homeschool account, $200. Plan the laptop purchase around that ceiling.

No payments to family. The Families page states: "Funds may not be used to pay a family member." The rules preamble describes the ban as covering relatives within the third degree. A parent, grandparent, aunt or sibling cannot be paid as a tutor from the account, even if they are otherwise a listed vendor.

And a helpful one: unused funds roll over to the next year "as long as the child remains in the TEFA program."

Where purchases happen

Everything except school tuition is bought in the TEFA Marketplace inside the Odyssey family portal. The Comptroller's June 30 release described more than 54,000 approved products and services from nearly 2,400 vendors, including assistive products for students with disabilities. Vendors apply on a rolling basis and the Comptroller reviews each offering before it appears. Our provider directory lists the providers of the Comptroller's participating-vendors workbook by category, and by county where a row has one; read how the Odyssey marketplace works for the flow.

Oversight

The Comptroller must hire a private auditor to check accounts and eligibility at least once a year, and the State Auditor also reviews the program. Keep receipts and the school's enrollment confirmation.

How we verify: amounts, dates and the expense list are quoted from the Comptroller's official pages, checked October 8, 2026. Participation status of any school or vendor comes only from the official list. This site is independent and is not affiliated with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts or Odyssey. See our methodology and FAQ.