TEFA Disability Certification Form: What Parents Need to Know Right Now

If you're frantically searching for the TEFA Disability Certification form, take a breath. Here's what you actually need to know.

What parents need to know about the TEFA Disability Certification form, disability priority, and enhanced funding, before application deadlines arrive.

The Form Isn't Available Yet, And It Only Applies to Priority Application Status, Not Funding

Although mentioned on both the Odyssey and Comptroller websites, the TEFA Disability Certification form has not been released as of January 13, 2026. Applications close on March 17th, which means families will have a narrow window to complete this form once it becomes available.

Does Your Income Even Require This Form?

Here's the most important thing to understand:

Disability documentation only matters for priority status if your household income (HHI) is BELOW 500% of the federal poverty guidelines.

For a family of 4, that means your adjusted gross income (AGI) on your 2024 tax return would need to be under around $160,750 for your child's disability documentation to matter for priority status. If you're at or above this threshold, disability documentation doesn't affect your priority status at all, so don't stress about it.

If You Already Have Disability Documentation

The following documents satisfy the requirement for disability prioritization WITHOUT needing the certification form:

• An IEP on file with TEA (current or expired)

• A Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (FIIE)

• An out-of-state IEP

  
  

If you have any of these and your HHI is at or below 500% of the FPGs, you're set for prioritization purposes.

Understanding Priority vs. Enhanced Funding

This is where it gets confusing.

For Priority Status

Any of the above documents OR the certification form will work

For Enhanced Funding (Up to $30,000 Once Accepted)

You MUST have a current IEP on file with TEA

The Disability Certification Form only helps with lottery priority; it does NOT unlock additional funding.

Not All Disabilities Qualify for Enhanced Funding

This is crucial. Only the disability categories outlined under IDEA and described in 19 TAC §89.1040 qualify for enhanced funding. These categories are based on educational criteria, not clinical diagnoses.

For example, if your child has been diagnosed by their Occupational Therapist with "Sensory Processing Disorder," that is:

• NOT a disability category under IDEA

• NOT a distinct diagnosis in the DSM-5 or ICD-10

• NOT sufficient for enhanced funding eligibility

Your child's disability must impact their educational performance and fall within IDEA's specific categories to qualify for an IEP and the associated enhanced funding.

Bottom Line

If your child has or may have a qualifying disability, your best path forward is to request a special education evaluation (FIIE) through your Local Education Agency (LEA). This will provide:

• Priority status (if below income threshold)

• Access to enhanced funding (if eligible for special education under IDEA)

• Documentation that works for both current AND future application rounds

However, there's a critical timing issue. School districts/LEAs have very specific timelines for completing initial special education evaluations. If you requested an evaluation tomorrow, the special education eligibility determination will likely not be made until after the TEFA application window closes on March 17th. If prioritization is important to you, you need to make sure you get the TEFA Disability Certification form completed when it is available.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't pursue the special education evaluation process if you truly suspect your child will meet the criteria for an IDEA disability. Here's why:

• If you're approved for the TEFA basic funding allotment, you may still qualify for additional funding if you provide IEP documentation later

• Once written, an IEP is current for a year, so it will be valid for the next application cycle

Are You Confused About the TEFA DIsability Certification Form Requirements?

You're not alone. The rules around disability prioritization and documentation are contradictory, confusing, and the guidance is unclear. We'll get into why in a future post, but for now, focus on what you can control: getting proper documentation through your LEA if your child needs it.

Learn more about how Accessible Education can help your family through the TEFA application process here. Subscribe and follow us on Facebook and YouTube.