Many San Antonio families applied for TEFA and are now waiting on one important question: what happens next? Knowing how to use TEFA voucher funds effectively — and in the right sequence — can make a real difference in whether you secure a spot at the school you want before available seats are filled.

This guide walks through each step clearly, so you are prepared when your approval arrives.

What TEFA Is, in Brief

TEFA — Texas Education Freedom Accounts — is a state-funded education savings account program that gives eligible Texas families funds to pay for private school tuition and approved educational expenses. The 2026–27 award for private school students is $10,474 per child. Students with a qualifying IEP can receive up to $30,000. The money is held in a digital account on the Odyssey platform and paid directly to your school — it does not come to you as a cash payment.

Understanding how to use TEFA voucher funds begins with understanding the timeline, because how to use TEFA voucher money is tied directly to when it becomes available.

Step 1: Receive Your Award Notification

The Texas Comptroller began sending notifications on April 22, 2026, starting with Tier 1 families — children with qualifying disabilities from households at or below 500% of the federal poverty level. Notifications for other tiers follow in the coming weeks.

Your notification will come by email from Odyssey. Check your inbox, spam, and promotions folders. The notification will confirm your award amount and provide next steps for logging into your Odyssey account.

Once you know how to use TEFA voucher funds, the process becomes straightforward. But the steps must be followed in order.

Step 2: Select Your School in Odyssey

After receiving your award, log into your Odyssey account and indicate which TEFA-participating school your child will attend. This is a required step before any funds can flow.

Key deadlines to know:

June 1, 2026 — Initial deadline to select a school in Odyssey
June 15, 2026 — Deadline for schools to confirm enrollment
July 15, 2026 — Extended final deadline for families who missed June 1

Selecting a school in Odyssey is not the same as enrolling. The school must also accept your child through their own admissions process. If you have not already applied to the school directly, do so immediately.

Source: Odyssey TEFA Program Timeline

Step 3: Understand TEFA Deadlines vs Private School Deadlines

This is where many families encounter an unexpected complication. Understanding TEFA deadlines vs private school deadlines is essential planning knowledge.

Private schools set their own enrollment timelines — and most do not wait for TEFA approval. Enrollment deposits may be due weeks before TEFA funds are released. Do private schools wait for TEFA? Generally, no. Most private schools have their own financial calendars, and many require a deposit to hold your child's spot. This deposit may need to come from personal funds initially, as TEFA funds do not become available until July 1, 2026.

When should I apply to TEFA schools? The answer is: before your TEFA approval arrives. Families who have already visited schools, completed admissions applications, and are ready to commit move significantly faster than those starting the school search after their notification comes in. This is the most important practical lesson from the first year of the program.

Step 4: Know When Your Money Arrives

TEFA funds are released in three installments:

July 1, 2026 — At least 25% of your award is available (approx. $2,618 for a standard award)
October 1, 2026 — At least 50% of your total award has been released
April 1, 2027 — Remaining funds are released

Source: educationfreedom.texas.gov

Talk directly with each school about how they handle billing in alignment with TEFA's release schedule. Most TEFA-participating schools in San Antonio have already adjusted their payment processes to accommodate this.

Step 5: Use Your Funds for Approved Expenses

Tuition payments flow from your Odyssey account to the school. For other approved expenses — tutoring, therapy, uniforms, educational technology, and transportation — you use the Odyssey Marketplace to find and pay approved vendors.

Approved expenses include:

Tuition and enrollment fees at a participating private school
Textbooks and instructional materials
Tutoring from registered Odyssey vendors
Educational therapies (speech, occupational, physical)
Transportation to approved providers
Uniforms required by the school
Computer hardware and software (up to 10% of annual award)

Unused funds at year-end roll over into your account for the following year, as long as your child remains enrolled in the program.

Step 6: Stay on Top of Annual Renewal

Once accepted, families in good standing do not need to submit a full new application each year. You confirm continuation annually. This makes TEFA a multi-year program benefit, not a one-time award.

How SchoolPath Helps You Prepare Before Your Approval Arrives

The most effective way to prepare is to research schools now, while you are waiting — not after your notification arrives. SchoolPath is a free matching tool built specifically for San Antonio TEFA families. It shows you every TEFA-participating school in San Antonio with tuition details and estimated voucher coverage, matched to your child's grade, needs, and location.

You can request information from schools directly through SchoolPath and begin real conversations before your TEFA approval is confirmed. Families who have a school shortlist ready when their notification arrives are in a significantly stronger position to secure their preferred school.

Start your free school search at SchoolPath today — because knowing how to use TEFA voucher funds is only half the equation. Knowing which school you want is the other half.

Sources:

How to Use Your TEFA Voucher: A Step-by-Step Guide for San Antonio Parents