01/09/2026
🎉 BIG NEWS, KIDTOWN FAMILIES! 🎉
We are thrilled to announce that KidTown has been officially approved for the 2026–2027 Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) Program!
This means qualifying families will be able to use TEFA funds toward tuition at KidTown for the upcoming school year. We’re excited for the opportunities this brings to our families and our community!
We’ll share more information soon about how to apply and what steps to take once the parent portal opens.
Thank you for being part of the KidTown family. Great things are ahead! 💛🏫✨
⭐ Who Is Eligible for TEFA?
According to the official TEFA family guide and state documents:
✅ Basic Eligibility (Anyone Who Can Apply)
A student must be:
A Texas resident
Eligible to attend a Texas public school (PK–12)
A U.S. citizen or lawful resident
Step 1: Mark the application date
Parent applications open February 4, 2026 for the 2026–2027 school year.
Awards will begin for the 2026–27 school year only—this is not retroactive.
Step 2: Go to the official TEFA website
Parents should go to educationfreedom.texas.gov.
This is the official state site with the parent application, school finder, and help resources.
Step 3: Create a parent account
Click on the “Parents/Families” section and create an account.
Parents will set up a login with their email and password so they can start and return to their application.
Step 4: Gather required documents
Parents will need to upload or enter information that proves:
Texas residency (TX ID, lease, mortgage, or utility bill)
Student eligibility to attend Texas public school (birth certificate, age, etc.)
Citizenship or lawful status (birth certificate, passport, or similar)
Household income (most recent tax return or IRS transcript) so the state can place them in the correct priority group if there’s a lottery.
Step 5: Complete the online application
Fill in student information (name, date of birth, grade level, etc.).
Indicate the educational setting they plan to use TEFA for (approved private school like KidTown, homeschool, etc.).
Upload all required documents before submitting.
Step 6: Select KidTown as the school (for your families)
When asked to choose a school, parents should search the TEFA school finder and select “KidTown” as their approved school.
This connects their child’s TEFA funds to your school once they are awarded.
Step 7: Submit the application before the deadline
Parents should submit as early in the window as possible.
If more families apply than there is funding, the state will use a lottery, with priority going first to students with disabilities and lower‑income families.
Step 8: Watch for approval and award notice
Families will receive notice through their TEFA account or email if their child is approved and funded.
Once approved, they’ll see their award amount (usually around $10,474 per student, more for qualifying disabilities, or $2,000 for homeschoolers).
Step 9: Use TEFA funds to pay tuition
After approval, parents can direct their TEFA funds to KidTown through the TEFA marketplace/portal to pay tuition and other approved expenses.
