ESA/TEFA Consulting

We provide personalized guidance to help you make informed decisions about TEFA participation and maximize the educational opportunities available to your student. Our family consulting services include:

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Eligibility & Application Support

• Determine your student's eligibility for TEFA funding

• Understand the difference between $2,000 and $10,500 funding levels

• Navigate the application process and required documentation

• Plan timeline for application submission and fund availability

School Selection & Transition Planning

• Identify approved private schools that align with your educational values and student needs

• Understand the differences between education service providers (private schools) and vendors

• Evaluate school accreditation, programs, and TEFA participation status

• Plan transitions from public to private school settings

Specialized Support for Families of Students with Disabilities

• Weigh the benefits and risks of leaving public school special education protections

• Understand what disability-related services are available through TEFA

• Evaluate whether the $10,500 funding level provides sufficient support for your student's needs and what additional funding you may be entitled to based on your student's current IEP

• Navigate the intersection of TEFA, insurance coverage, and therapy services

• Plan for assessment, documentation, and service coordination

Budget Planning & Service Provider Selection

• Develop a spending plan that maximizes your TEFA funding

• Identify approved vendors for tutoring, therapy, curriculum, and enrichment services

• Understand pricing strategies and negotiate service packages within your budget

• Coordinate multiple service providers for comprehensive educational programs

TEFA represents a historic opportunity for private schools to expand access while maintaining your mission and autonomy. We help you prepare for approval and implement TEFA participation successfully. Our private school consulting services include:

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Approval Readiness Assessment

• Verify your accreditation meets Texas Private School Accreditation Commission or TEA recognition standards

• Document campus operations history (including out-of-state campuses)

• Confirm physical presence and Texas-resident staffing requirements

• Assess multi-campus coverage under your accreditation

• Identify approval bottlenecks and resolve them before applications open

Compliance & Documentation Preparation

• Organize required operational records to audit-ready standards

• Review tuition and fee structures for differential tuition compliance

• Establish staff background-check procedures aligned with the do-not-hire registry

• Develop assessment workflows for grades 3–12

• Prepare parent notices regarding disability-related rights and school status

• Create internal enrollment confirmation processes for funding verification

Operational Implementation

• Prepare for integration with the comptroller-approved payment system

• Develop processes for multi-campus schools or virtual campuses

• Create compliance checklists and tracking systems

• Establish clear communication protocols with TEFA families

• Advise on strategic service expansion for TEFA-eligible funding

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Board & Administrator Training

• Understand your autonomy rights under TEFA

• Navigate assessment, reporting, and eligibility requirements

• Develop fee policies that comply with program rules

• Position your school for visibility and enrollment in the TEFA marketplace

• Create internal timelines, workflows, and implementation plans

The preparation you begin now will determine whether families can find and choose you when the program launches. We help you build a complete readiness plan tailored to your school's structure, mission, and accrediting body.

TEFA creates a unique revenue opportunity for public and charter schools to offer specialized services to TEFA participants, but participation requires careful navigation of ADA funding boundaries. Our public/charter school consulting services include:

Planning & Legal Framework

• Identify which services clearly comply with ADA restrictions

• Assess program capacity for serving non-enrolled students

• Develop compliant pricing structures for individual services

• Review administrative requirements for separate payment systems

• Provide guidance on legal boundaries to avoid inadvertent ADA-counting enrollment

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Approval & Setup

• Guide you through the vendor approval application process (opening December 9, 2025, on a rolling basis)

• Establish personnel designations and background screening compliance

• Prepare for integration with the Comptroller's payment system

• Advise on marketing to TEFA families outside your traditional attendance zone

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Implementation & Compliance

• Develop enrollment procedures and documentation systems specific to TEFA participants

• Create staff training protocols on TEFA vendor requirements

• Build tracking systems that maintain clear ADA separation

• Establish ongoing compliance monitoring and annual program review processes

• Ensure equity considerations for currently enrolled students

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Strategic Assessment

• Determine whether vendor participation makes sense for your district's capacity and goals

• Evaluate which specialized programs, facilities, or courses to offer

• Assess administrative capacity to manage a separate program

• Consider inter-district competition and marketing strategies

Whether TEFA vendor participation makes sense for your district depends on your specific capacity, programs, and strategic goals. We help you make that assessment thoughtfully and, if participation is right for you, implement it effectively without creating compliance risks or operational disruption.

The removal of the "for-credit" requirement opens TEFA to virtually any educational online offering. We help you capture this market opportunity strategically. Our online provider consulting services include:

Business Foundation & Compliance

• Review your business structure for TEFA vendor participation

• Implement background screening procedures for all personnel with student contact

• Establish record-keeping systems for enrollment, payments, course completion, and audit readiness

• Ensure instructor qualifications and credentials meet documentation standards

• Verify Secretary of State registration and business compliance

Strategic Course Development & Pricing

• Expand course offerings to leverage the removal of the "for-credit" requirement

• Develop tiered pricing strategies for different TEFA family segments:

  • Homeschool families (budget-conscious, $2,000 cap)

  • Private school supplementing families (higher budgets, enrichment focus)

  • Hybrid education families (gap-filling, à la carte preferences)

• Create course descriptions and marketing materials that emphasize educational value and outcomes

• Clarify technology requirements and accessibility considerations

Payment System & Operations Setup

• Prepare for integration with the Comptroller-approved payment system

• Develop customer support procedures specific to TEFA participant needs

• Create enrollment workflows that capture required compliance documentation

• Build systems to track and demonstrate educational services provided

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Market Positioning & Launch

• Identify your target TEFA family segment(s) and craft messaging that resonates

• Develop marketing materials emphasizing key value propositions (flexibility, quality, accessibility, affordability, results, support)

• Guide you through the vendor approval application process

• Position your business for visibility when families begin researching options for fall 2026

Early vendor approval means early visibility, and early visibility means enrollment advantage. We help you begin planning now to capture market share when TEFA families start making purchasing decisions.

TEFA creates significant opportunities for specialized service providers to expand their practice and serve more Texas families. Our tutor/therapist/vendor consulting services include:

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Qualification & Registration

• Verify or complete Secretary of State registration for business in Texas

• Confirm teaching license, certification, or professional license currency

• Complete background screening using the do-not-hire registry

• Consider business structure options (sole proprietor vs. LLC) based on your goals

• Establish procedures for serving family members if applicable

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Service Documentation & Compliance

• Develop clear descriptions of services, qualifications, rates, and requirements

• Establish record-keeping and reporting procedures for program compliance

• Understand insurance coordination requirements (for therapists)

• Create systems to document student progress and service delivery

• Prepare for payment system integration

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Business Development & Marketing

• Set competitive rates while understanding family budget constraints ($2,000 vs. $10,500 funding levels)

• Develop marketing materials explaining your services and qualifications for TEFA families

• Identify your target market segment and positioning strategy

• Create service packages or flexible scheduling to accommodate different budgets

• Build reputation through quality service delivery and measurable outcomes

Operational Readiness

• Plan for payment system integration with the comptroller-approved system

• Establish clear communication protocols with parents

• Develop scheduling systems that accommodate TEFA participant needs

• Create documentation procedures for demonstrating service quality

• Monitor program updates and vendor approval processes

TEFA represents an opportunity to expand your practice and provide specialized services that might otherwise be financially out of reach for many Texas students. We help you navigate the framework while protecting your professional autonomy.