Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA)
Trinity Prep welcomes families who are exploring the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) voucher program as a way to help support private school tuition and related educational expenses. TEFA is a state-authorized education savings account program that provides eligible Texas families publicly funded dollars to use for private school tuition, supplies, tutoring, therapies, transportation, and more at participating schools.
Please read the information below about Trinity Prep's participation in this program and how it works with our admissions process. If you have additional questions, please reach out to us at admissions@trinityprepkeller.org.
TEFA (Texas Education Freedom Account) is a state-funded program that allows eligible families to use public education funds toward approved educational expenses, including private school tuition.
The Texas Education Freedom Act, passed under Senate Bill 2, creates a new Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) program that allows eligible families to access public funds for private educational expenses starting in the 2026–27 school year. It allows eligible families to access public funds through a Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA), $10,474 per student annually, to use toward private school tuition and other educational expenses. It’s designed to make private education more accessible, especially for low- to moderate-income families and those with special learning needs.
Detailed information can be found at the TEFA website.
Odyssey is the program administrator selected by the State of Texas to manage the day-to-day operations of TEFA. This includes processing TEFA applications, reviewing eligibility documents, managing family accounts, and distributing TEFA funds to approved schools and services.
Odyssey does not:
- Decide school admissions
- Set school tuition or policies
- Provide educational services
Trinity Preparatory Academy is an accredited private school and meets the state’s eligibility standards. While not required, our school has decided to accept TEFA Funds, as we monitor the state’s guidelines and practices. We will continue, provided we can participate without compromising our Christ-centered mission, curriculum, and autonomy.
A student must be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful resident eligible to attend a Texas public school. If applications exceed available funding, a lottery will decide placement.
Applicants are prioritized as follows:
- Students with a disability (defined by the TX Educ. Code Sec. 29.003) whose family income is at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG).
- Children whose family income is at or below 200% of FPG
- Children whose family income is between 200% and 500% of FPG.
- All other students may qualify if funds remain, with no more than 20% of spots reserved for this group, and priority given to those switching from public schools.
- Siblings of children already in the program (after the first round of selections)
To further understand these qualifications, we encourage families to review Texas Private Schools Association’s TEFA resource.
Not necessarily — TEFA is a competitive state program, not an automatic guarantee.
While eligible Texas families can apply for Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA), meeting the basic eligibility requirements does not mean a family will definitely receive funding. TEFA is limited by available state dollars and is not first-come, first-served; if more families apply than there are funds, the state prioritizes and allocates awards based on defined categories and may use a lottery to determine who receives funding.
For context, although TEFA has roughly $1 billion appropriated and is one of the largest school choice programs launched in the country, its capacity is limited relative to the total number of Texas students - estimates suggest funding could serve roughly 1.7–2 % of Texas public school students in its first year if fully subscribed.
Because of this, families should not count on TEFA funds as a certainty when planning enrollment or financial commitments. We encourage you to apply if you’re interested and eligible - but plan ahead as if the funding may not come through.
No. Our commitment is steadfast - we will not accept any funding that compromises our faith, admissions standards, or educational curriculum. We will participate only as long as the law continues to uphold religious freedom and school autonomy.
Can I wait to make an enrollment decision until after I know if we have been approved for a voucher?
Before applying to Trinity Prep, please note the following important policies:
- Application and Enrollment Fees: All application and enrollment fees are non-refundable, regardless of whether a family applies for or ultimately receives TEFA funding.
- Admissions Timelines: All admissions and enrollment timelines published by Trinity Prep must be followed as stated. These deadlines do not change even if a family is awaiting notification of a TEFA award.
- Commitment Deadline: For families planning to enroll for the upcoming fall term, the tuition commitment deadline of June 1 remains firm. This deadline applies to all families - including those still waiting to hear whether they will receive state funding through TEFA.
If you have questions about TEFA, your application status, or navigating next steps, our admissions team is here to help.