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The account, explainedWhat a TEFA account pays for
The account pays for far more than tuition. This page breaks down what each tier covers and excludes, and where families in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area find approved providers. For 2026-27: $10,474 at a private school, up to $30,000 with an IEP, $2,000 for homeschool.
Source. The approved-uses list on the program's families page and the Comptroller's tuition and fee guidelines for participating schools. Every purchase runs through Odyssey; if a purchase seems out of the ordinary, check with the program before spending.
| Expense | Private school & IEP accounts | Homeschool / other ($2,000) | In McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private school tuition | Paid to a participating school, which must charge a TEFA family its standard rate. | Not on this tier. Enrolling at a participating school raises the account to $10,474. | 18 K-12 schools in Hidalgo and Starr counties were in the state finder on our latest check. |
| Required school fees | Paid: registration and enrollment, books and materials, technology and testing fees, uniforms the school sells, and meals the school provides. | Not applicable. | Because many Valley tuitions sit below the award, the remainder often covers registration, uniforms and lunch with money to spare. |
| What the account won't pay | Not paid: after-school or extended-day care, building-fund or capital assessments, fundraising commitments and parent-organization dues. | Not paid. | For after-care, a child care scholarship through Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande Valley is the usual route. |
| Tutoring | Paid to approved tutoring companies whose instructors hold the credentials the Comptroller requires. | Paid on the same terms. | 10 approved tutoring providers list a Hidalgo or Starr County address, and online tutors approved statewide are available too. |
| Educational therapies | Paid when insurance, Medicaid or another public program isn't already covering the service. | Paid on the same terms. | Of the approved providers with a Valley address, 9 offer speech services, 10 offer occupational or physical therapy and 7 offer behavioral support. |
| Textbooks and curriculum | Paid. | Paid, and usually the first thing a homeschool account buys. | Bilingual and Spanish-English materials from approved marketplace vendors qualify like any other curriculum. |
| Computers, devices and software | Paid up to 10% of the year's funding, which is $1,047 on a full private-school award. | Paid up to 10%, or $200. | The 10% ceiling applies to the whole program year's purchases combined, not to each item. |
| Online courses and virtual programs | Paid when the online provider is approved. | Paid. | A virtual school that is itself a participating school with a Texas office can be funded at the private-school rate. |
| College courses and dual credit | Paid: tuition and fees at an eligible college or university. | Paid. | South Texas College serves Hidalgo and Starr counties, with campuses in McAllen, Weslaco and Rio Grande City. Homeschooled students can take regular STC sections from age 16. |
| Industry-recognized credentials | Paid for training toward credentials on TEA's approved list. | Paid. | Health care, welding, logistics and information technology credentials match the Valley's job market. |
| Tests and evaluations | Paid. | Paid. | The annual norm-referenced test a homeschool family picks can come out of the account. |
| Transportation to school or a provider | Paid when the transportation provider is approved. | Paid. | 1 approved transportation provider(s) list a Valley address. Few private schools here run buses, so ask before you enroll. |
| Courses from a public school district | Paid for courses the district doesn't count toward its attendance funding. | Paid. | Ask your district's counseling office whether it enrolls private or homeschool students in individual courses. |
| Payments to relatives | Never allowed. | Never allowed. | Refunds from a school or vendor go back into the account, not to the parent. |
Odyssey handles every payment
Tuition and purchases are paid inside the state's platform. No cash goes to families, and a provider outside the system can't be paid.
Approved providers only
Every school, tutor, therapist and vendor needs Comptroller approval. Valley providers can apply year-round.
McAllen providers →Balances roll forward
Whatever is unspent at year's end stays with your child's account for the following year, as long as the child stays in TEFA.
Want help planning how to spend your child's account?
An advisor matches your account to the expenses that apply and to approved McAllen providers.