Texas Funds Florida Schools: TEFA Private School Support Explained

Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) funds are being used to support an out-of-state virtual school based in Florida, raising questions about the program’s eligibility rules and potential loopholes.

Records from the Texas Comptroller’s office show that NFC Academy, a K-12 institution based in Tallahassee, Florida, was approved to participate in the TEFA program on March 13, 2026. The school, which describes itself as teaching a biblical worldview, had been pursuing approval for the program according to its website.

Although NFC Academy is listed as an online school on the state’s TEFA map, it was only approved as a vendor, not as a virtual school. This distinction matters because vendors do not qualify for the full funding amount available to private schools in the program.

For the 2026-27 school year, the Texas Education Agency has determined that students attending approved private schools through TEFA receive $10,474 per child. This amount represents 85 percent of the statewide average of state and local funding per student in Texas public schools.

Vendors in the TEFA program, which can include online education programs, tutoring services, therapists, and other educational providers, are subject to different eligibility requirements than private schools. The program allows funds to be used for a range of approved expenses, including tuition, instructional materials, tutoring, online education programs, and services for students with disabilities.

Texas law permits out-of-state vendors to participate in TEFA if they hold a license to do business in the state. This provision has created what experts describe as a gray area, enabling out-of-state institutions like NFC Academy to access state funds through the vendor classification rather than as direct educational providers.

The TEFA program, established by Senate Bill 2 in 2025 with $1 billion in state funding, launched its first application period for the 2026-27 school year on February 4, 2026. Administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the program is designed to give families greater flexibility in choosing educational options outside the public school system, including private schools, homeschooling, and approved educational services.

Applications for the initial year of the program closed after record-setting demand, with funding awards to be distributed in April 2026 based on priority. The program remains open for vendor applications on a rolling basis, allowing continued participation by qualifying educational service providers.