Texas TEFA receipt checklist
2026-27 · from Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (with Odyssey as the certified educational assistance organization)'s published rules, checked Oct 12, 2026. General information.
Every receipt shows
- No reimbursement: purchases are made in the program marketplace on Odyssey and paid directly to preapproved providers and vendors; purchases made outside the marketplace are not reimbursed.
- Each purchase request is checked by Odyssey: it must be an approved expense, from a provider or vendor in good standing, and not more than the account balance.
- Keep the information and documentation for every program transaction: the program's auditor and the State Auditor may ask for it.
- Funds may not be used to pay a family member, and items bought with program money may not be sold.
It's for an allowed expense
- 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
Receipt log
| Date | Vendor | Amount | Category | Child | Sent | OK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dates
- Apply (2026-27, closed): The 2026-27 application window opened February 4, 2026 and closed March 31, 2026. Dates for 2027-28 are not published yet (interest list on the program site).
- Opt in as homeschool/other for July 1 funding: Awarded homeschool/other students must opt in by June 15 to receive funding on July 1.
- Opt in for mid-August funding: Opt in by July 31 to receive funding by mid-August.
- Last date for the full award: Students coming off the waitlist must confirm they have opted in as homeschool/other by Sept. 15 to receive the full award; later confirmations may be prorated.
- Report enrollment in public school: Within 30 days (30 business days in the statute) after the child enrolls in a public or charter school, graduates, or otherwise becomes ineligible.
- Spending: No spending deadline: money left at the end of the program year carries forward while the child stays eligible and the parent confirms continued participation.
Sources: Texas Education Freedom Accounts: Families (Texas Comptroller) · Texas Education Freedom Accounts: home, funding and timeline (Texas Comptroller) · Texas Education Code ch. 29, subch. J (§§ 29.351-29.374), Education Savings Account Program · Texas Register, Dec. 12, 2025: adopted 34 TAC §§16.401-16.410 (Education Savings Account Program) · TEFA Parent Application Guide (updated Feb. 12, 2026) · TEFA: Funding Timelines and Installments (June 4, 2026) · TEFA Fact Sheet, participating students, Oct. 1, 2026. Rules change every year; check before you spend.