FAQs

No. An IEP does not guarantee a specific TEFA funding amount, nor does it guarantee acceptance at a particular school. TEFA funding levels are expected to reflect the services documented in the IEP, and schools still determine whether they can appropriately serve a student based on fit, capacity, and available supports.

In most cases, public school districts remain responsible for conducting evaluations and developing IEPs, even when families are exploring TEFA options. As TEFA rolls out, districts may also rely on contracted providers or outside evaluators to meet increased demand. Specific practices may vary by district.

No. Not all students using TEFA will need an IEP. However, students with documented special education needs may qualify for higher levels of funding, which is why families are increasingly exploring whether an IEP is appropriate as part of the TEFA process.

In many cases, yes. A traditional district IEP is designed to support ongoing instruction and services within a public school district. A TEFA-related IEP is often focused on documenting a student’s needs for funding eligibility, even if the student does not plan to remain enrolled in the district. The scope and emphasis may differ depending [...]

A “TEFA IEP” is not a separate legal document, but a term families often use to describe an Individualized Education Program (IEP) completed or updated to support eligibility and funding considerations under the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) program. Its primary purpose is to document a student’s educational needs in a way that supports TEFA [...]