TEFA and special education: the up-to-$30,000 tier, the IEP rule and the disability certification form

Short answer, as of October 8, 2026: TEFA has two separate things for a child with a disability, and families mix them up. Tier 1 priority in the lottery goes to a child with a disability in a household at or below 500% of the federal poverty level; either an IEP on file with TEA or the program's Disability Certification Form proves the disability for that purpose. The higher award, up to $30,000, goes only to a child with an IEP on file with the school district who attends a participating private school. The form does not add money. The Comptroller's August 3 release said nearly one in four participants has a documented disability.

Tier 1: what it is

The official FAQ defines the first tier as "children with a disability who are members of a household whose total annual income is at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level." Dollar figures are on the income limits page.

For prioritization, the FAQ says "children with a disability" includes "both children with an IEP on file with the Texas Education Agency at the time the application process closes and children who have submitted a program-approved proof-of-disability form with their application."

The Disability Certification Form

The form exists for one reason: to show a disability when there is no IEP. From the Comptroller's instructions (updated February 4, 2026):

• It is required when a child claims disability status for the application and does not have an IEP on file with TEA.
• "This form will not be used to establish the amount of TEFA funds available to the child, to establish a child's IEP, or for any other purpose."
• The disability must fit one of the categories in 19 TAC §89.1040, the state's special-education eligibility rule.
• It may be completed only by a professional who is qualified to certify the disability in question. The instructions say: "Any qualified professional may certify the disability, except where certification by a particular type of professional is specified." Some categories name the professional: a traumatic brain injury, for example, needs a medical diagnosis from a licensed physician.
• It is submitted with the application, during the application period.
• Questions go to DisabilityForm.TEFA@cpa.texas.gov.

The form, the instructions and a one-page fact sheet for the signing professional are posted on the official site (links in the sources). Book the appointment with the professional well before the window opens; a form that arrives after the close does not count. As of October 8, 2026 the Comptroller's site gives no 2027-28 window date; the deadline tracker will show it after the Comptroller publishes it and we check it.

The up-to-$30,000 award: how it is set

The base award for any private-school child is $10,474. The Comptroller's Special Education Funding Table explains the extra: "funding amounts are based on the district where the student lives and the instructional code in their IEP. The amounts in this table are added to the base funding amount of $10,474 and the total cannot exceed $30,000."

The table has a row for every Texas school district and columns for instructional codes 00, 01, 02, 08, 30 and 40, each with and without speech. As one printed example, the Dallas ISD row adds $3,643 for code 01 and $8,196 for code 02. Find your district's row in the PDF, add it to $10,474, and cap at $30,000. The net-cost calculator accepts the total so you can see the gap against a school's tuition.

The FAQ states the condition plainly: "only those children with an IEP on file who are accepted into the program are eligible for the increased funding amount." A private psychologist's report, a 504 plan or the certification form does not unlock it. If your child does not yet have an IEP, request an evaluation from your home school district now; the district's timeline, not the program's, controls how long that takes.

What to ask a school

Participation on the Comptroller's list says nothing about services. Before you apply, ask the school office:

1. Does the school accept the higher award against tuition, and does it charge more for students who need support?
2. Which services are on campus (resource teacher, speech, OT, behavior support) and which you would buy separately?
3. Does the school administer the required nationally norm-referenced test with accommodations?
4. How many seats for 2027-28 are open in your child's grade, and by what date?
5. What is the school's answer for a late or prorated award?

We record these answers on a school's profile with the date the office gave them, once a school gives them. We never describe a school as approved; it is a participating school on the Comptroller's list, with a link to that list.

Therapy and tutoring through the marketplace

Educational therapies "not covered by any federal, state, or local government benefits (i.e, Medicaid)" are an approved expense, as are private tutoring and academic assessments. Purchases go through the TEFA Marketplace in the Odyssey family portal, from providers the Comptroller has reviewed. On October 8, 2026 the official finder listed 596 therapy providers and 603 tutoring providers statewide. Our provider directory lists the providers of the Comptroller's participating-vendors workbook by category, and by county where a row has one, each with the date that the workbook gives for it. Remember the rule that funds may not pay a family member, and the 10% limit on computer hardware and software.

How we verify: every rule and figure on this page is quoted from the Comptroller's pages and PDFs, checked October 8, 2026. Participation status 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.