Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA)
Understanding the Texas School Choice Bill
Understanding School Choice: What It Means for SACS Families
Explore how the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) law may impact your family. Stay informed with FAQs, updates, and SACS’ commitment to remaining Christ-centered, mission-true, and family-focused every step of the way.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Texas Education Freedom Act (TEFA), passed as Senate Bill 2, allows eligible families to apply for state funds to use toward approved educational expenses, including private school tuition. Qualifying families may receive up to $10,000 per year, per child, to help cover tuition and other education costs.
San Antonio Christian School is an accredited private school that meets the state’s eligibility requirements, and we will be participating in this opportunity for our families. We will continue to share information and next steps as program details become available.
The TEFA program will launch for the 2026–2027 school year. The state application portal opens February 4, 2026. The application window closes March 20, 2026. Families will be notified of award or waitlist status in early April.
Eligible students are Texas residents who will attend a participating private school (or qualify in another approved pathway such as certain homeschool or Pre-K program).
Because funding is limited, the state will use a priority system. Priority is given first to:
– Students with disabilities who have a current IEP (or other state-accepted special-education documentation.) These students are also eligible for additional TEFA funding beyond the standard amount (up to $30,000).
– Families whose household adjusted gross income meet the program’s financial eligibility thresholds.
After these priority groups are served, any remaining accounts are available to other eligible applications. This program is open to new families AND current families at SACS.
We are encouraging every family to apply for TEFA when the state application opens. Even for families who may not be initially eligible, applying helps demonstrate to Texas leaders that our families truly value the freedom to choose a Christ-centered education for their children. Strong participation communicates that this program really matters to real families across our state, and it strengthens the case for continued support in the years ahead.
This program is open to new families AND current SACS families.
No. SACS is not increasing tuition because of TEFA. TEFA is a parent-directed state account that eligible families may use toward tuition. It does not change the tuition-setting process or our admissions/enrollment standards. As we have communicated, our tuition rates and our covenantal admissions/enrollment standards remain the same whether a family uses TEFA funds or not.
Because TEFA may provide significant additional support for eligible families, SACS will require all families applying for Tuition Assistance to submit a TEFA application as part of the financial aid process This helps us steward resources well and serve as many families as possible.
Absolutely not. Our commitment is clear: SACS will never accept funding that compromises our faith, our covenantal admissions standards, or Christ-centered content of our instruction. TEFA is a parent-directed program, and our participation will not place SACS under state control or change who we are. We will continue to participate only as long as the law protects religious liberty and preserves the autonomy of private Christian schools.
SACS is an active member of the Texas Private Schools Association (TPSA), which advocated throughout the legislative process to secure strong protections for religious liberty and private-school autonomy in TEFA. Our leadership team has stayed closely engaged through regular legislative briefings, learned from partner schools in other states utilizing a program like this, and collaborated with other Christian schools to pursue a policy outcome that serves families without compromising our mission.
Our focus is on serving families with clear information and practical help as the state finalizes TEFA. We will continue to share timely updates as new guidance is release.
For more information, please reach out to admissions@sachristian.org.