Texas is launching one of the largest school choice programs in American history. The Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program (administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts) gives eligible families state funds to pay for private education, tutoring, educational therapies, curriculum materials, and more. With 200,003 student applications submitted between February 4 and March 16, 2026,[1] it is clear that Texas families are interested in this opportunity. But perhaps the most surprising and compelling dimension of this program is what it means for the youngest learners — and for a child care system under significant strain.
What Are Texas Education Freedom Accounts?
TEFA is a state-administered Education Savings Account (ESA) program that puts parents in the driver’s seat of their children’s education. Rather than being tied to a single school assignment, eligible families receive state funds they can direct toward a range of approved educational expenses.
The Texas State Legislature allocated $1 billion to launch the program — making TEFA expected to be the largest day-one school choice program in U.S. history. Because demand is likely to exceed available funding, a lottery will determine which families receive accounts, prioritizing students with disabilities and lower-income households.[2]
For the 2026-27 school year, each eligible student who selects an accredited participating private school receives $10,474 in funding. Students with qualifying disabilities may receive up to $30,000, and students in homeschool or other non-public settings receive $2,000.[2]
The Application Window and Early Numbers
Families were able to submit applications between February 4 and March 17. By March 16, the Texas Comptroller’s office had already received 200,003 total student applications[1] (approximately 2.5% of eligible students).
A closer look at the applicant pool reveals further context:
- 35% of applicants come from households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level ($64,300 annually for a family of four)[3]
- 37% come from households between 200–500% FPL (between $64,300 and $165,000 for a family of four)
- 28% come from households above 500% FPL (more than $165,000 for a family of four)
- 79% of applicants indicated they plan to enroll in private school; 21% selected homeschool or other settings
In the Fort Worth Education Service Center region (Region 11), 28,525 applications were submitted — making it one of the most active regions in the state.[1]
Pre-K: The Sleeper Story of TEFA
When Texas lawmakers were designing TEFA, a last-minute decision to include prekindergartners opened the door to something that few anticipated: a meaningful new tool for addressing the child care affordability crisis.
The data speaks for itself: Pre-K was the single largest grade level represented in the application pool, with 25,841 Pre-K applications submitted by March 16, 2026 — surpassing every other K–12 grade.[1]
Eligible pre-K students can use their TEFA funds, up to $10,474, at approved private early learning programs, including Texas Rising Star (TRS)-rated child care centers. This is significant because it means TEFA isn’t just a school choice program for K–12 families. For the families of Texas’s youngest learners, it is a potential lifeline for accessing high-quality, affordable early care.
To be eligible for TEFA’s pre-K component, a child must meet existing Texas state pre-K eligibility criteria, which includes children from low-income families (household income below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level or below $60,900 for a family of four[3]), children learning English, children experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, and children of active-duty military or first responders.[4]
The potential downstream impact is notable. Statewide, about 100,000 children are on the waitlist for a child care subsidy through the state’s Child Care Scholarship (CCS) program.[5] In Tarrant County alone, approximately 25,000 young children are awaiting a scholarship. If eligible pre-K families can access TEFA funds instead, freeing up those scholarship slots, babies and toddlers currently stuck on the waitlist may finally gain access to the care their families need.
The Rainwater Charitable Foundation and Child Care Associates: Expanding Access in Tarrant County
Recognizing the potential of TEFA’s pre-K provision, the Rainwater Charitable Foundation awarded a grant to Child Care Associates (CCA) to help ensure that eligible families and providers in Tarrant County don’t miss this opportunity. CCA is a Fort Worth-based nonprofit that has long been a leading voice in early childhood systems change.
“At Child Care Associates, we stay focused on what matters most: helping families succeed during the most critical years of their child’s life. Families are telling us that they need and desire a variety of things when it comes to an early education and care setting for their children. We are grateful that the Texas Legislature and the Texas Comptroller chose to honor the needs of parents with young children by enabling pre-k eligible students to use their TEFA at high-quality early learning programs in their community. And now, we believe it is our responsibility to help make those options clear and accessible for families and providers, so that ultimately, more families will have real, equitable access to a high-quality early learning setting that meets their unique needs.” — Catherine Davis, Director of Policy, Child Care Associates
CCA’s work under this grant focuses on two parallel and equally critical goals: helping eligible pre-K families in Tarrant County apply for TEFA, and increasing the number of community-based child care providers who become approved TEFA vendors. Without both, the program’s promise falls short. Families can receive funding but find nowhere to use it; or providers may be ready to serve TEFA families but lack the awareness or business readiness to participate.
On the family engagement side, CCA is:
- Partnering with Workforce Solutions of Tarrant County to notify the roughly 44,000 families currently on the Child Care Scholarship waitlist about the TEFA opportunity
- Hosting bilingual parent webinars (English and Spanish) walking families through the application process and required documents
- Deploying a bilingual parent liaison to provide one-on-one office hours and application support
- Training Help Me Grow parent navigators, Head Start Family Engagement Advocates, and other community partners to relay TEFA information directly to families
On the provider side, CCA is:
- Hosting webinars and in-person trainings to help eligible early learning programs understand TEFA requirements, apply to become approved vendors, and build the financial readiness to participate
- Providing one-on-one business coaching to help providers develop the organizational and financial infrastructure to successfully receive and manage TEFA funds
- Equipping providers with parent-facing marketing materials so that eligible families can identify and connect with TEFA-approved programs in their area
CCA’s goals are ambitious: at least 1,000 pre-K applications from North Texas families, and at least 400 private early learning providers successfully registered as approved TEFA vendors.[6]
CCA’s track record and deep roots in the community make them well positioned for this work. Over the last two legislative sessions, they have been a leading voice in advocating for the inclusion of pre-K families and child care providers in the ESA legislation. Texas ultimately became the first state in the country to include pre-K-aged children and child care providers in an ESA program. They have also established themselves as a trusted thought-partner with key TEFA administrators, including the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and program implementation partners.[4]
Why This Matters: The Child Care Context
The enthusiasm for TEFA’s pre-K component is inseparable from a deeper challenge. Child care in Texas remains unaffordable for millions of working families. The average cost of full-time infant care in Texas exceeds what many families pay for rent. Waitlists for state subsidies stretch for years. Parents are forced to make impossible choices between work and care.
Private child care providers have also seized on the TEFA opportunity. The child care industry operates on razor-thin margins, often losing money on infants and relying on older children’s tuition to stay solvent. For these providers, access to state TEFA funds could help stabilize operations and, in some cases, keep tuition more manageable for younger siblings.[5]
Still, experts are clear-eyed about the limits. TEFA is not a wholesale solution to the child care affordability crisis, and its pre-K provisions will reach only a portion of eligible families in the first year. Advocates across the political spectrum have continued to call for fully funding public pre-K and reducing the CCS waitlist. But for the families who do access TEFA funds this year, it could represent a meaningful and concrete step forward.
Application Process
The application window for the 2026-27 school year closed on March 17, 2026. Families who applied will be notified of their status in early April. If selected, families must confirm their school enrollment by June 1, with final deadlines extending through July. Initial funding is expected to be distributed by July 1.[4]
For families who were not aware of the program this cycle, preparation is key for the next application window. Gathering documents — including proof of Texas residency, Social Security numbers, IRS tax returns, and IEP documentation for children with disabilities — will make the process faster and smoother.
For more information on TEFA, visit educationfreedom.texas.gov. For families in Tarrant County seeking support with the pre-K application process or to learn more about approved early learning providers, reach out to Child Care Associates at childcareassociates.org.
At the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, our mission centers on expanding opportunity, strengthening educational pathways, and removing barriers that limit long-term economic mobility for children and families in our region. TEFA represents a new and evolving policy landscape, with real implications for equity, access, and the early childhood system we all share an interest in strengthening. We are committed to watching this program closely, supporting partners like Child Care Associates who are working to ensure its benefits reach the families who need them most, and amplifying what we learn along the way.
[1] Texas Education Freedom Accounts Student Application Fact Sheet, Feb. 4 – 10 AM on March 16,2026. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
[2] Edson, Jaden. “Texans can use school vouchers for pre-K, but the pool of families who qualify is limited” The Texas Tribune, December 17, 2025
[3] 2026 Poverty Guidelines: 48 Contiguous States (all states except Alaska and Hawaii). US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
[4] TEFA Parent Application Guide and TEFA Media Guide. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, 2026.
[5] Mervosh, Sarah. “How Texas School Vouchers Could Make Child Care More Affordable.” The New York Times, February 26, 2026.5. Child Care Associates. “2026 Grant Application: Texas Education Freedom Account Access for Pre-K Families in Tarrant County.” Rainwater Charitable Foundation Application Packet, 2026.
[6] Student Applications Submitted by ISD. Texas Education Freedom Accounts, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, March 2026.
