School Funding in Texas
How charter per-pupil funding and school-choice programs (ESA, vouchers, tax-credit scholarships) work for schools in Texas, with the current per-student amounts and program status.
Funding data verified as of 2026-07-16
Charter school per-pupil funding
Allocation method: Average Daily Attendance (ADA).
Your state funds charter schools based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA). Funding is calculated on the average number of students physically present each day - so absent students reduce your funding. I'd strongly recommend investing in attendance programs early, because they directly impact your revenue. This is one of those areas where school culture and financial health are directly connected. - SchoolStack Team
Foundation School Program - basic allotment + tier adjustments
School-choice programs (ESA, vouchers & tax-credit scholarships)
Education Savings Account (ESA)
Active Universal eligibilityTexas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) - launching 2026-27; universal eligibility (all K-12 students may apply, awarded by four priority tiers). ~$10,474/student at an accredited private school, up to $30,000 for a student with a disability; ~$2,000 for homeschoolers. Schools must choose to accept ESA students - enable this if your school will participate.
ESA program rules & compliance
What an operator needs to budget and stay compliant: who qualifies, what funds can be spent on, and the reporting obligations.
Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA)
Texas Comptroller of Public AccountsLaunches for the 2026-27 school year. About $10,474 per private-school student; up to $30,000 for an awarded student with a disability (based on the funding the child's district would receive to serve their IEP); $2,000 per year for homeschooled students.
- Who qualifies
- Income-prioritized rather than fully universal: students with disabilities and families at or below 500% of the federal poverty level are prioritized; families above 500% FPL are eligible but capped at no more than 20% of total program funding each school year. A student's IEP must be on file with TEA by the end of the application period to qualify for the disability award.
- Allowable expenses
- Private school tuition and fees
- Instructional materials and curriculum
- Tutoring services
- Certain higher-education courses for eligible students
- Eligible services for students with disabilities
- Reporting & oversight
- Funds are disbursed and spent through the Comptroller's designated ESA vendor system. Participating private schools must opt in to accept ESA students and meet the program's accreditation and assessment requirements.
- How to apply
- First application period covers the 2026-27 school year — confirm exact dates at educationfreedom.texas.gov.
Schools must choose to participate. Verify current award amounts and rules with the Comptroller before budgeting — this is a brand-new program.
Verified 2026-06-30 from official sources: educationfreedom.texas.gov, tea.texas.gov, edchoice.org. Always confirm current rules with the program administrator before relying on them.
Charter facility funding
Money Texas provides toward charter facilities (buildings, rent, capital) - a separate stream from operating per-pupil. Budget it on its own line so you don't overstate or miss it.
Charter School Facilities Allotment (HB 2, 2025)
Verify current figure0.06 × the basic allotment (~$373/ADA) for 2025-26, rising to 0.07 × the basic allotment from 2027-28; the statewide cap rose from $60M to $100M (2025-26) and $160M (2026-27). Subject to statewide cap and possible proration - confirm the current per-ADA figure with TEA.
- Who qualifies
- Eligible open-enrollment charter schools meeting the performance criteria in Sec. 12.106(d), Education Code.
- How it's paid
- Per-ADA allotment paid through the Foundation School Program.
Verified 2026-06-30 from official sources: tea.texas.gov. Always confirm the current amount with the administrator before relying on it.
New as of 2025 - Texas, long cited as providing no charter facilities funding, now does under HB 2.
Private schools: federal services & the Texas ombudsman
Private and faith-based schools in Texas can't take federal Title money as cash, but their students and teachers are entitled to a fair share of the services it funds - tutoring, teacher training, technology, and English-learner support - delivered by the local public school district at no cost to the school. If a district won't cooperate, Texas's equitable-services ombudsman is the referee who enforces it.
- Texas equitable-services ombudsman
- Official Texas ombudsman page · PNPombudsman@tea.texas.gov
Names and contacts change, so the official page always carries the current person. Read the step-by-step guide to claiming equitable services - it includes a copy-paste email to send your district.
School meal programs in Texas (real revenue)
Nonprofit private schools in Texas can join the federal National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs and get paid a cash reimbursement for every qualifying meal - a revenue line, not an in-kind service. You apply to your state child-nutrition agency, not your district.
- Texas Department of Agriculture - Food and Nutrition (SquareMeals)
- Official Texas school-meals page · SquareMeals@TexasAgriculture.gov
New to this? Read the step-by-step meal-programs guide - how to apply, get reimbursed, and budget for it.
Build a budget around Texas's funding
Turn these numbers into a 5-year pro forma - revenue, staffing, cash flow, and lender-ready DSCR - in a free, guided model. No account required to start.
Start your free budgetKeep reading
- Financial planning for charter schools
- Starting a microschool
- Charter funding models explained
- Federal Title funds for private schools
- School funding in every state
Sources: state education-agency program pages, EdChoice, NCSL K-12 funding tracker, and the Institute for Justice educational-choice litigation tracker. Figures are estimates for planning and change frequently - verify current amounts with your state agency before relying on them.