Parent Guide: TEA Releases Critical TEFA Update on School Voucher Eligibility for Students With Disabilities
- Accessible Education
- Nov 20
- 10 min read
Updated: Dec 1
December 1, 2025 Update
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Final Rules Have Changed (December 2025)
The Texas Comptroller's final adopted rules for the TEFA program supersede the November 2025 TEA guidance discussed in this post. Most significantly:
Disability documentation requirements have changed: Medical certifications and SSI/SSDI letters are no longer accepted for lottery prioritization
The final rules require documentation aligned with 19 TAC §89.1040 (special education eligibility standards)
Several other program requirements have been clarified or modified
The Comptroller's final adopted rules are the official governing standard. Read our complete update here before taking action on your application.
November 20, 2025 Update
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released important guidance today that fundamentally changes what parents need to understand about accessing TEFA funds for children with disabilities. If you've been following the Comptroller's proposed rules, this announcement requires your immediate attention.
THE MOST CRITICAL THING YOU NEED TO KNOW
A doctor's note or disability benefits letter can help you get INTO the program, but it CANNOT get you the additional funding for students with disabilities.
Let us repeat this because it's the single most important clarification TEA provided today:
Getting Priority Access ≠ Getting Additional Funding
TEA has confirmed that there are two completely separate processes with two completely different definitions of what counts as a "child with a disability":
STEP 1: Getting Priority in the Lottery (If There Is One)
What qualifies: Under the Comptroller's proposed rules, these documents can give your child priority if there are more applicants than available spots:
A written certification from a licensed physician confirming a specific disability diagnosis
Proof of supplemental income due to disability (like SSI or SSDI determination letters)
An IEP
What this gets you: Priority selection if the program is oversubscribed. This means you're more likely to get a spot in the program.
What this does NOT get you: The additional funding designated for students with disabilities. You would only receive the base TEFA amount.
STEP 2: Getting the Additional Disability Funding
What qualifies: ONLY a formal school district evaluation and IEP process:
Your child must be evaluated by a school district through the Full and Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE) process
An Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee must determine that your child is eligible for special education under IDEA
The ARD committee must create an EFA IEP (a specific type of IEP for TEFA funding purposes)
What this gets you: Access to the additional TEFA funds for students with disabilities (up to $30,000 total, compared to the base amount for students without disabilities)
Why This Matters So Much
Here's the scenario TEA anticipates will confuse many families:
You have a letter from your child's doctor diagnosing ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or another disability
You use this letter to gain priority access in the TEFA lottery
You get accepted into the TEFA program, congratulations!
But you only receive the base funding amount, not the additional funding for students with disabilities
To get that additional funding, you must now go back and complete the full school district evaluation process
TEA explicitly warns that parents who use physician certifications or disability benefit letters for lottery priority will likely try to present this same documentation to access the higher funding, but it won't work.
Your local school district must still complete the full evaluation process and hold an ARD committee meeting to create the EFA IEP before your child can qualify for the higher funding amount.
In Plain English
Think of it like applying for a loan with two different interest rates:
Priority documentation (doctor's note/SSI letter): Gets you to the front of the line at the bank
District evaluation and EFA IEP: Actually qualifies you for the better interest rate (the additional funding)
You might get in the door first, but you won't get the full benefit without completing the second, more rigorous process.
What TEA Announced Today, November 20, 2025
TEA's correspondence and accompanying guidance documents provide the first official agency interpretation of Senate Bill 2's requirements for children with disabilities. Beyond the critical distinction above, here are the other key points:
The TEFA Program Timeline
The TEFA program will launch in the 2026-2027 school year, with applications expected to open in early 2026. The program will be managed by the Texas Comptroller through a
The Official TEA Statement
TEA's guidance explicitly states that:
"The additional certifications or proof of supplemental income do not equate to the definition of a child with a disability for purposes of additional EFA funding."
And further clarifies:
"Eligibility for additional funding is strictly based on the child being evaluated by a school district and having a current IEP or a new EFA IEP."
This means that to access additional funding, your child must have:
A disability recognized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
This determination requires a district to complete the Full and Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE) process
If eligible, the ARD committee must develop the specific EFA IEP
The Anticipated Confusion
TEA acknowledges that they expect confusion on this point. They anticipate that many parents will:
Gain acceptance into TEFA using physician certifications or disability benefit documentation for lottery priority
Present this same documentation to their school district, expecting to qualify for additional funding
Be told they must still complete the full evaluation process
This is not the district being difficult; this is the explicit requirement under the law and TEA's interpretation of it.
The EFA IEP: A New Type of Document
TEA introduced a streamlined version of an IEP specifically for TEFA purposes called an "EFA IEP." This document:
Must Include:
FIIE findings of a disability condition and ARD committee determination of eligibility
Accommodations and modifications needed
Schedule and delivery of services (frequency, duration, and location)
Instructional arrangement code (which determines the funding level)
Does NOT Need to Include:
Present levels of academic achievement and functional performance
Annual IEP goals
Statements about statewide and district assessments
Important: Neither the public school nor the private school has any obligation to implement the services listed in the EFA IEP. This document exists solely to establish eligibility and calculate funding.
Your Rights to Request an Evaluation
TEA reinforced that parents have long-standing rights under IDEA to request special education evaluations from their local school district, regardless of where their child attends school. Here's what you need to know:
Which District to Contact:
You can request an evaluation from the district where your child lives, OR
The district where your child's eligible private school is located
The district has 15 school days to respond
After you provide informed consent, the district has 45 school days to complete the evaluation
The ARD committee must meet within 30 calendar days after the evaluation report to determine eligibility
Outside Documentation Matters: Districts must consider outside documentation you provide, such as private evaluations or medical diagnoses. Presenting this information may help avoid duplication of effort and could speed up the district's evaluation process.
Financial Incentive: Districts will receive $1,000 for each initial evaluation completed under House Bill 2, including for children not enrolled in public school. This funding may encourage timely compliance with evaluation requests.
How This Aligns with Our Previous Posts
What We Got Right
In our previous coverage of the Comptroller's proposed rules, we correctly reported that:
The Comptroller proposed allowing physician certifications and SSI/SSDI documentation for disability verification
There were concerns about whether medical documentation alone would be sufficient
An IEP could serve as documentation for the purposes of the application
What Needed Clarification
What wasn't clear from the Comptroller's proposed rules, and what we raised concerns about, was whether that medical documentation would be sufficient to access the additional funding designated for students with disabilities.
TEA has now definitively answered this question: No, medical documentation alone is not sufficient for funding eligibility.
The distinction between priority for enrollment and eligibility for additional funding was the central ambiguity in the proposed rules. TEA's guidance makes clear that these are separate determinations with separate requirements.
What This Means for Information Previously Shared
The core concern we raised in previous posts has been validated: families who secure lottery priority through physician notes or SSI letters will still need to complete the full district evaluation process and obtain an EFA IEP to access the higher funding level. TEA explicitly acknowledges it anticipates confusion from parents on this point.
Critical Information Parents Must Know
If Your Child Is Currently in Public School with an IEP
Your existing IEP will generally suffice for TEFA funding eligibility purposes. However, TEA is still finalizing rules about the specific requirements, so stay tuned for additional guidance in early 2026.
If Your Child Is in Private School or Homeschooled
This is where the most critical action is required. Even if you have a medical diagnosis, physician's letter, or disability benefits documentation, you will need to complete the district evaluation process to access additional TEFA funding. That medical documentation may help you get priority in the lottery, but it stops there.
Here's what to do:
Submit a written request for evaluation NOW to either your home district or the district where your child's private school is located; don't wait for TEFA applications to open
Provide any outside documentation you have (private evaluations, medical diagnoses) to potentially expedite the process, but understand this does not replace the district's evaluation
Track the timelines carefully:
The district must respond to your request within 15 school days
The district must complete the evaluation in 45 school days after consent
ARD committee must meet within 30 calendar days after the evaluation is complete
Total timeline: At least 60+ school days from request to funding eligibility
Know your rights. If the district misses deadlines or you disagree with their evaluation, you have access to IDEA dispute resolution procedures, including requesting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at public expense
Critical Point: You cannot skip this process by using your physician's letter or disability benefits documentation. TEA anticipates parents will try to do exactly this, and they are explicitly stating it won't work for funding purposes.
Funding Amounts and Limitations
The additional funding is based on what the public school district received or would have received in state special education funding for your child
Total TEFA funding is limited to $30,000 per child with a disability (including the base amount)
If your child is homeschooled, total funding is limited to $2,000 per school year
Important Timeline Considerations
Applications for TEFA are expected to open in early 2026. If you believe your child may qualify for additional funding as a student with a disability, you should consider requesting an evaluation now to ensure the process is complete before applications open.
Given the mandatory timelines (15 days + 45 days + 30 days = 60+ school days (not calendar days) from initial request to eligibility determination), starting early is crucial.
What We Still Don't Know
TEA's guidance is interim communication because formal rules have not been finalized. Several details remain unclear:
Rules Still Under Development
The exact contents and requirements of the EFA IEP are subject to change through TEA's rulemaking process, which includes a public comment period
The Comptroller's final rules regarding alternative documentation for lottery priority are still proposed and subject to change
The secure web portal process that districts will use to submit evaluations and EFA IEPs to TEA is still being developed
Resources Coming Soon
TEA indicated that additional resources will be released in the coming weeks, including:
A parent video overview
A frequently asked questions (FAQ) document
More detailed information about the portal submission process
Why This Matters
TEA's guidance confirms what some advocates feared and others welcome: the pathway to accessing TEFA funds for children with disabilities is more complex than simply having a medical diagnosis. Families will need to navigate the formal special education evaluation process, even if their child has never attended public school.
This creates both opportunities and challenges:
Opportunities:
Parents gain access to free, comprehensive evaluations
The evaluation process is governed by established IDEA protections and timelines
Districts have a financial incentive to complete evaluations promptly
Challenges:
The process takes time and requires active parent participation
Families must understand their rights and be prepared to advocate if timelines aren't met
The distinction between priority documentation and funding documentation may confuse families
What You Should Do Now
If You Have a Child with a Disability and Are Considering TEFA
Understand the two-step process:
STEP 1 - Lottery Priority (if needed):
Gather physician certifications or disability benefit documentation
This helps you get accepted into the program if there's a lottery
You'll receive base TEFA funding
STEP 2 - Additional Funding Qualification:
Request a formal evaluation from your school district IN WRITING, do this now
Complete the full FIIE evaluation process
Obtain the EFA IEP
Only then will you qualify for the additional disability funding
Do not assume Step 1 documentation will suffice for Step 2 funding. TEA's guidance makes clear these are separate processes with separate requirements.
Action Steps for All Parents
If you're considering TEFA and believe your child has a disability: Contact your school district in writing to request an evaluation as soon as possible. Don't wait for applications to open; the timeline could take 60+ school days.
Gather ALL documentation: Collect private evaluations, medical diagnoses, AND any letters from physicians or disability benefit determinations. You may need different documents for different purposes.
Understand what each document does:
Physician letter/SSI documentation = Lottery priority only
District evaluation + EFA IEP = Additional funding eligibility
Learn your rights: Familiarize yourself with IDEA timelines and dispute resolution procedures. You may need to advocate for your child throughout this process.
Stay informed: Watch for additional guidance from TEA and final rules from the Comptroller's office, expected in early 2026.
Ask questions: If your district is unclear about its responsibilities or timelines, reference TEA's November 20, 2025, correspondence and guidance documents.
Final Thoughts
Today's guidance from TEA resolves the single biggest question about TEFA for students with disabilities: What documentation actually qualifies a child for the additional funding?
The answer is definitive: physician certifications and disability benefit letters help with lottery priority, but only a formal school district evaluation and IEP process qualify your child for additional funding.
This creates a critical two-track system that parents must understand:
Track 1 (Priority): Medical documentation gets you in the door
Track 2 (Funding): Educational evaluation gets you additional money if your child qualifies for special education
Many families will complete Track 1 and mistakenly believe they've completed everything needed. They haven't. TEA explicitly anticipates this confusion and has warned districts that parents will present their physician certifications, expecting to access higher funding, only to learn they must complete the full evaluation process.
If you're serious about accessing TEFA funds for a child with a disability, start the evaluation process now. Don't wait for applications to open. Don't assume your medical documentation is sufficient. Understand that while physician letters and disability benefits documentation have value for lottery prioritization, they are explicitly insufficient for funding
qualification.
We'll continue monitoring developments and providing updates as TEA releases additional guidance and finalizes its rules. The rulemaking process will include opportunities for public comment, and parent voices will be critical in shaping the final implementation of this program.
The bottom line: To access additional TEFA funding for your child with a disability, there is no shortcut around the formal school district evaluation and IEP process, regardless of what other documentation you possess.
Confused About TEFA School Vouchers or Whether Your Child Qualifies?
Get clarity on TEFA school voucher requirements, understand the evaluation process, and get expert help preparing for the next steps. Learn more about our Special Education and Section 504 Advocacy Services or request a free consultation.