You got the notification — your Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) has been approved. Now the real work begins.

Getting approved is step one. Managing your Texas Education Freedom Accounts funding wisely — spending on the right things, staying compliant, and protecting your account year after year — that's what separates families who maximize every dollar from the ones who leave money on the table.

In this episode, Crystal and Anthony Oby break down exactly how TEFA funding is distributed across three rounds, how the Odyssey platform works, what expenses are approved (and which ones will get you in trouble), and the six non-negotiable rules for keeping your Texas Education Freedom Accounts in good standing.

🎧 Listen to discover how to turn your approval into a full year of strategic, protected educational spending.

👉 Take the full FREE Class: FREE INTRO CLASS: Get $30,000+/Yr to Fund Your Homeschool Without a 9-5 Job

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

1. How and when TEFA funding hits your Odyssey account (3 distribution rounds)
2. The 5 approved spending categories — and common mistakes families make
3. What you absolutely CANNOT spend TEFA money on (including family members)
4. The technology spending cap and how to plan around it
5. 6 rules to keep your account active, compliant, and protected
6. How families with disability funding can strategically allocate up to $30,000
7. Why staying in good standing means you never have to enter the lottery again

Perfect for you if:

1. You've been approved for TEFA and aren't sure what to do next
2. You want to spend every dollar correctly without risking your account
3. You have a child with a disability and want to maximize your higher funding
4. You're a homeschool family looking for a clear, stress-free account management strategy

SHOW NOTES & LINKS

1. Program website & School Finder: educationfreedom.texas.gov
2. Application & account platform (Odyssey): support.withodyssey.com
3. Odyssey phone support: 737-379-2362
4. Odyssey email support: help.tx@withodyssey.com
5. Texas School District Locator: tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/general-information/school-district-locator
6. Parent school selection deadline: June 1, 2026 (initial) / July 15, 2026 (final)
7. School enrollment confirmation deadline: June 15, 2026 (initial) / July 31, 2026 (final)
8. First funding distribution: July 1, 2026
9. TEFA Media Contact: Travis Pillow — Travis.Pillow@cpa.texas.gov | (407) 376-3105

You got the notification.

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Your child has been selected for

a Texas Education Freedom account.

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Wow, that's huge.

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Congratulations.

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Seriously, you did the work.

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You applied and it paid off.

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Take a moment to feel

incredible about that.

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And now let's make sure you don't leave

a single dollar unspent, untracked, or at

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risk because getting approved is step one.

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Managing your account wisely, spending the

money on the right things, keeping your

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account in good standing year after year.

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That is the part that most

parents figure out the hard way.

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We're gonna make sure you

figure it out the easy way.

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So this is episode number

five in our TFA series.

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If you're new here, go back and

listen to all the previous episodes.

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We cover everything from the basics to

disability funding to school selection.

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Today, we're focused entirely on

what happens after you're approved.

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A fast growing number of parents are

starting their homeschooling journey while

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others have been homeschooling for years.

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All of these parents are asking one big

question, how can I afford to homeschool?

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We are here to answer that

important question once and for all.

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Hi, I'm Crystal Obby.

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And I'm Anthony Obby.

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We've been homeschooling our five

kids for 13 years and we funded it.

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Through our online consulting business

that we've been running for over 17

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years now, we're combining Crystal's

financial coaching expertise with my

27

digital marketing background where I help

entrepreneurs launch and sell online.

28

We're here to help fellow homeschooling

parents self-fund their homeschool

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journey and create lifestyle businesses.

30

For financial freedom without a nine to

five job, are you ready to start living

31

life on your own terms and make your

homeschooling experience a lot more fun?

32

Well then sit back, crank up

the volume, and enjoy this

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episode of Homeschool Money.

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Welcome to the Homeschool Money podcast.

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I'm your host, Anthony Oby.

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I'm your host, crystal Oby.

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Now, let's start with the money,

because once you're approved, the first

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question every parent has is when do I

actually see it and how does it work?

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I

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Your TFA funding does

not arrive all at once.

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It comes in three rounds

across the school year.

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The first distribution, at least 25%

of your total account is made available

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in the Odyssey platform by July 1st.

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Additional funding follows by

October 1st and the remaining

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balance by April 1st, 2027.

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So if your account is $10,474, you're

looking at roughly $2,600 or more

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available in July, more in October,

and the final portion in the spring.

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The Money lives inside

the Odyssey platform.

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Think of it as a dedicated

education spending account that you

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access online or through the app.

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You use it to make approved purchases

directly through the Odyssey marketplace

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or to pay approved vendors and

providers who are set up in the system.

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This is really the important point.

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You cannot make a purchase outside

of the Odyssey system and then

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submit a receipt for reimbursement.

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That's not how the program works.

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All purchases must go through

the approved platform.

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If you buy something at a store with

your own credit card and expect to

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get paid back, that will not happen

and you will have spent your own money

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with no benefit from the program.

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so before you spend a dollar, make sure

the vendor or provider you want to use

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is set up in the Odyssey marketplace.

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If they're not, find out if they

can register because providers

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can apply to join the platform.

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Your child's tutor, therapist, or

curriculum supplier may need a gentle

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nudge to get registered, and the

sooner that happens, the sooner you

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can pay them through the system.

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But there's good news Participants

who remain in good standing do

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not need to reapply every year.

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Your account continues automatically.

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All the work you did this year

pays off for every year your

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child stays in the program.

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All right, so let's now talk about

eligible expenses in detail, because this

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is where families sometimes make innocent

mistakes that create real problems.

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The five approved categories are

private school, tuition and fees,

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educational therapies and services,

curriculum and instructional materials,

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tutoring and supplemental education

services, and technology, which

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is kept at 10% of your account.

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The detailed list of what counts

within each category will be in your

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participant handbook from Odyssey.

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Read that handbook every page.

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It is your rule book for the year

and what's in it will protect

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you from accidentally spending

on something that isn't eligible.

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Hey, real quick, if you're liking the

show, hit follow so you don't miss a

85

single episode and drop a five star

rating and a review to let us know that

86

you're loving the content and tell us

what topics you'd like us to cover.

87

This will help more people find

the show, and please share this

88

episode with a friend, your

co-op, or anyone who needs it.

89

They'll be glad you did.

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Now, back to the show.

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Let's walk through some common

questions parents have about

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what is and isn't covered.

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Can I use TFA money to pay a

family member to tutor my child?

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No.

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The program is very clear on this.

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Funding cannot be used to pay any person

who is related to the program participant.

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So a parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt,

or uncle cannot be paid from the chief of

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funds for tutoring or any other service.

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It must be an independent

qualified provider.

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Can I buy a laptop or tablet for my child?

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Yes, yes, and yes, technology is an

approved category, but it's kept at 10% of

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your total account on a $10,474 account.

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That's just over a thousand dollars

for technology purchases on a $2,000

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homeschool account, that is $200.

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Plan your technology spending

with that cap in mind.

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Here's another question.

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Can I buy general school supplies,

backpacks, notebooks, pencils.

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General school supplies are typically

not covered as a standalone category.

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The curriculum and instructional

materials category is meant for

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learning materials directly tied to

your child's educational program.

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That's textbooks, structured

reading programs, science kits, math

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manipulatives, and similar resources.

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When in doubt, check the

participant handbook or contact

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Odyssey before purchasing.

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What about extracurricular

activities like sports?

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Arts and music lessons.

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So this is a gray area that depends

entirely on how the activity is

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classified and whether the provider

is registered in the Odyssey system.

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Some educational enrichment programs

may qualify general recreational

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sports leagues or non-educational

activities typically would not again.

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The participant handbook is your guide

if it's not clearly listed as eligible.

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Verify before you spend money.

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Next question.

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Can I get a cash refund if I spend

less than my account balance?

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No TFA funds can only be used

for qualified education expenses

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within the approved platform.

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No provider school or vendor is

permitted to give you a rebate, refund

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credit, or cash back of any TFA money.

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Any funds that remain unspent

at the end of the program

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year are not yours to pocket.

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Spend thoughtfully and use every dollar

on legitimate educational expenses.

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Never do this.

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Do not attempt to use TFA

funds for personal expenses.

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Sell items purchased TFA money or arrange

any kind of kickback with a provider.

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These actions are not gray areas.

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They constitute fraud and can

be referred to a county or

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district attorney for prosecution.

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Your TIFA account is valuable for

families with a child with a disability.

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It could represent tens of thousands

of dollars over multiple school years.

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Protecting it is just as

important as using it.

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Let's talk about how to stay

in good standing and make sure

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your account is never at risk.

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Rule number one, notify the program

within 30 days within rule number one.

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Notify the program within 30 business

days if anything changes that

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affects your child's eligibility.

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If your child enrolls in a public

school or charter school receives A

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GED, graduates or otherwise becomes

ineligible, you must report it.

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Failure to do so and continuing to

use the funds is a serious violation.

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When in doubt, notify them.

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Rule number two, keep

records of every purchase.

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Save your receipts, screenshots of

transactions, and any documentation

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that shows the educational

purpose of each purchase.

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The program has.

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The authority to, to the program

has the authority to conduct audits.

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If your account is reviewed,

your records are your protection.

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Treat every purchase, like you might

have to explain it to an auditor someday

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rule number three, stay engaged

with the Odyssey platform.

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Log in regularly.

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Check your account balance,

review your transaction history.

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Make sure every purchase that appears in

your account is one you actually made.

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Report any discrepancies immediately

to Odyssey at 7 3 7 3 7 9 23 62.

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Or help dot tx@withodyssey.com.

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And remember phone numbers and

contact information like this.

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We're gonna share in this

episode's show notes.

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So please check there for

this type of information.

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Rule number four, complete

any required assessments.

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As a T of participant you agree to

share or authorize sharing of your

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child's assessment results with Odyssey.

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If the program requires your child

to take a particular assessment,

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make sure it happens and that

the results are submitted.

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This is part of the program's

accountability structure and

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your agreement as a participant.

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Hey, friend, quick break.

174

If you're ready to fund your homeschool

without relying on a nine to five

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job, you have to check this out.

176

We're giving you instant access to.

177

Our free class is called Get 30,000

a year to Fund Your Homeschool

178

Without a nine to five job.

179

In just 90 minutes, you'll learn

how to create consistent income.

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Afford a world-class education for

your kids and get the lifestyle freedom

181

you deserve, that's gonna give you

more time to invest into the people

182

that matter the most, your children.

183

This is the system that changed everything

for us, and it's changed everything

184

for hundreds of other families too.

185

Go to homeschool money.com

186

to register and watch the free

class on demand and get our

187

newsletter full of tips and support.

188

Don't wait.

189

Your freedom starts right now.

190

Rule number five, do not try to

change your educational setting

191

to one that requires more funding.

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After the application window has

closed, if you selected homeschool

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and later want to switch to

private school, the additional

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funding is not available mid-year.

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Plan your educational setting carefully

before the March 17th deadline

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each year because that selection

is binding for funding purposes.

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Rule number six.

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Remember that tifa does not guarantee

private school admission year over year.

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Your TA account continues, but your

child's enrollment at a particular school

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is governed by that school's own policies.

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Stay in communication with your school,

meet their enrollment renewal deadlines,

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and confirm your child's placement in the

Odyssey system each year there's great

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news families who stay in good standing

do not have to go through the lottery.

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Again, your account renews.

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This is one of the most underappreciated

benefits of the program once you're in,

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staying in is much easier than getting in.

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Now, let's talk about strategy because

there's a difference between spending your

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TFA money and maximizing your T of money.

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The families who get the most out of

this program are the ones who plan

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ahead and use their account, like the

powerful educational tool that it is.

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Start by mapping out your child's

educational needs for the year before

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the first funding round hits in July.

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What does your child need most?

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Is it specialized tutoring, therapeutic

services, a curriculum, upgrade new

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technology, get that list written down and

prioritized so that when the funds hit.

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You know exactly where they go.

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For families with a private

school account at $10,474.

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If your tuition is less than that amount,

the remaining balance doesn't disappear.

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It stays in your account

for other approved expenses.

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So a child attending a school

with an $8,000 tuition still

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has over $2,000 left to spend on

tutoring, curriculum, materials,

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educational therapies, or technology

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For homeschool families, working

with $2,000, think of that as a

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curriculum and support budget.

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Map out your full year curriculum costs

first, then layer in any tutoring or

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supplemental support your child needs.

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Leave your 10% technology allocation,

that's $200 for a specific tool

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that enhances your child's learning

rather than a general device

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for families with disability funding,

this is where real strategy pays off.

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You may have 20,000, 25,000,

or close to $30,000 available.

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Prioritize the therapeutic services

and specialized instruction that your

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child needs, but that has historically

been out of reach financially.

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Speech therapy, occupational therapy,

specialized reading intervention,

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applied behavior analysis.

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These are often the highest

impact uses of disability funding.

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And here's a planning tip.

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Think of your tifa account, like a

household budget with categories.

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Assign a portion to tuition, a

portion to tutoring or therapy, a

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portion to curriculum materials,

and your 10% cap to technology.

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Knowing your category allocations

before spending season begins,

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prevents overspending in one area

and running short in another.

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And don't forget, providers need

to be registered in the Odyssey

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marketplace before you can pay them.

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If you have a therapist tutor or a

curriculum provider you want to use,

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reach out to them before July and walk

them through the registration process.

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The earlier they're set up, the earlier

your child's services can begin.

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We wanna take a moment before our final

action plan to reflect on what this series

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has been about, because this isn't really

about money or applications or deadlines.

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It's about something bigger than that.

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Remember, Texas just put $1 billion on

the table and said, parents, you decide.

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You decide where your child learns,

you decide what resources they get.

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You decide what kind of education matches.

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Who your child actually is.

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This is a historic shift

and it's happening right now

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for families who've been fighting

for years to get their child with

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a disability, the right services.

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This program creates a dedicated

funding stream that has never

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existed before in Texas.

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For families who knew a different school

was the right fit but couldn't afford it.

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This program's for families

who knew a different school.

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For families who knew a different school

was the right fit but couldn't afford it.

262

This program opens that door

for homeschool families who have

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been doing this on a shoestring.

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This program says, your choice is

valid, and here's some real support.

265

We built this series because

we believe informed parents are

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empowered parents, the families

who understand this program fully.

267

Who know the deadlines,

know the documents, know the

268

rules, and know their options.

269

Are the families who will use every

dollar and protect every benefit.

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If this series is helping

you, the single most valuable

271

thing you can do is share it.

272

Share it with the parent in your school

group who doesn't know about tifa yet.

273

Share episode three with a parent that

has a child with a special need in

274

the community that you're a part of.

275

Share episode four with every

parent who is trying to figure out

276

where to send their kid next year.

277

These episodes are meant to travel.

278

All right.

279

Here is your action plan to carry

you from today all the way through

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your first full year as a Tifa family

281

before March 17th.

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apply@educationfreedom.texas.gov.

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Include every eligible child on one

application log in private school.

284

If there's any chance your

child will attend one.

285

Get your IEP documents in order.

286

If your child has a disability, gather

your social security number, your child's

287

social security number, your Texas

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April through June, watch for

your notification from Odyssey.

289

Start or continue the admissions process

at your chosen school research and visit

290

schools using the TFA school finder.

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Select your school in the

Odyssey platform by June 1st and

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confirm enrollment by June 15th.

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Okay, July through the school year.

294

Your first round of

funding arrives July 1st.

295

Contact your child's tutor, therapists and

curriculum providers now to make sure they

296

are registered in the Odyssey Marketplace.

297

Spend according to your

pre-planned category budget.

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Keep records of every transaction.

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Stay engaged with your Odyssey account.

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Every year going forward, stay in

good standing, notify the program

301

of any changes to your child's

eligibility within 30 business days.

302

Complete any required assessments.

303

Enjoy not having to reapply.

304

Thank you for spending the

last five episodes with us.

305

This has been one of the most

important series we've ever made

306

because this program is going to

change the trajectory of education

307

for Texas families for years to come.

308

We are grateful to be a part

of that journey with you.

309

For everything.

310

Tifa applications, school

finders, forms, and updates.

311

Your home base is education

freedom.texas.gov,

312

and also, of course, the

Homeschool Money Podcast.

313

Listen, we'll see you in the next episode.

314

If you like today's episode, make

sure you tap the follow button so you

315

never miss a thing, and if it help

you share it with a friend or your

316

homeschool group sharing is caring.

317

Do you love free stuff?

318

Like me?

319

Sign up and watch our free games

class called Get 30,000 a year

320

to Find Your Homeschooling.

321

With our nine to five job, when you sign

up, you'll gain instant access to a class

322

and you'll get our weekly newsletter.

323

For tips and strategies to make your

homeschooling journey affordable,

324

go to homeschool money.com

325

and register right now, ready

to get your homeschool money.

326

Head over to homeschool money.com

327

to enroll in the full Homeschool

Money Makeover course.

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You'll get the tools, templates,

and step by step help to

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find your first $1,000 fast.

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And create 30,000 or much more every year.

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Each module of this program is designed

to transform your finances and help you

332

experience financial abundance, so you

have the flexibility and lifestyle freedom

333

to homeschool your children with a nine

to five job and without sacrificing.

334

And right now we have an amazing limited

time offer that gives you huge savings

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and bonus gifts you're going to love.

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Go to homeschool may.com

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to enroll today, and don't forget

to give us some love with the

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five star rating and review.

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It'll help more people find ourselves.

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Have a great day.

341

Bye.