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The account, explainedWhat a TEFA account pays for
Tuition is only one line on the list. Below is what each kind of account can pay, what's off limits, and how Austin families find approved tutors, therapists and vendors. For 2026-27 the amounts are $10,474 at a private school, as much as $30,000 with an IEP, and $2,000 for homeschool.
Source. This page draws on the approved-expense list published on the program's family pages and on the Comptroller's tuition and fee rules for participating schools. Every payment runs through Odyssey, the state's platform, and if you're unsure about a purchase, ask the program first.
| Expense | Private school & IEP accounts | Homeschool / other ($2,000) | In Austin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private school tuition | Covered at any participating school, which must bill you the same tuition other families pay. | Not on this tier. Enrolling at a participating school moves the child up to the $10,474 award. | Our Austin-area directory shows 117 K-12 schools that were in the state finder on our most recent check. |
| Required school fees | Covered: registration, books and materials, technology and testing fees, school-sold uniforms and school-provided meals. | Doesn't apply. | At a parish or church school priced a little under the award, the leftover often pays registration, books and the uniform order. |
| Fees TEFA won't pay | Not covered: before- and after-care, building-fund or fundraising charges, and PTO or parent-club dues. | Not covered. | Travis County families can look to Workforce Solutions Capital Area for after-care help, and families in the other four counties to Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area. |
| Tutoring | Covered when the provider is approved and its lead educator meets the Comptroller's credential rules. | Covered under the same rule. | We count 70 approved tutoring providers with an Austin-area address, from Kumon and Sylvan centers to independent reading and math tutors. |
| Educational therapies | Covered when Medicaid, another public benefit or private insurance isn't already paying. | Covered under the same rule. | Among approved local providers, 27 list speech therapy, 13 list occupational or physical therapy and 24 list behavioral services. |
| Textbooks and curriculum | Covered. | Covered, and it's where most homeschool accounts go first. | Several curriculum vendors based in Austin and Georgetown are approved, including 2 Hour Learning's software and Maneuvering the Middle's math program. |
| Computers and software | Covered up to 10% of the year's deposit, which is $1,047 on a full private-school award. | Covered up to 10%, or $200. | The limit is a yearly total across all purchases, not a per-item cap. |
| Online courses and programs | Covered from approved online providers. | Covered. | UT Austin's online high school is an approved vendor, and online schools such as TCS and Proximity Learning list Austin offices in the finder. |
| College courses and dual credit | Covered: tuition and fees at a higher-education provider. | Covered. | Austin Community College waives tuition and general fees on eligible dual credit courses for service-area students, so the account mostly goes to textbooks, materials and courses that aren't waived. |
| Industry credentials | Covered for training toward credentials on TEA's approved list. | Covered. | In a job market built on tech, healthcare and construction, check TEA's list for certifications in those fields before you enroll. |
| Tests and assessments | Covered. | Covered. | Annual norm-referenced testing, and evaluations from approved providers, can be billed to the account. |
| Transportation | Covered for trips to and from approved providers. | Covered. | The vendor list shows 1 approved transportation provider(s) based in the Austin area. |
| Classes at a public school district | Covered for classes that don't count toward the district's attendance funding. | Covered. | Some Central Texas districts sell single courses or electives to private and homeschool students. Ask your district's counseling office. |
| Paying a family member | Not allowed. | Not allowed. | A refund from a school or vendor goes back into the account, never to the parent. |
No cash, only the platform
Schools and vendors are paid inside Odyssey, the state's system. Families never receive the money directly and can't pay a provider outside it.
Only approved providers
The Comptroller approves every school, tutor, therapist and vendor before an account can pay it. Providers may apply whenever they're ready.
Austin providers →Unused money carries forward
A balance at year end stays put as long as the student is still in the program.
Want help planning how to spend your child's account?
An advisor matches your account to the expenses that apply and to approved Austin providers.