Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock says Texas is on schedule to launch the new Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program, with provider registration expected later this year and family applications following shortly after the new year.
TEFA was established through SB 2, signed into law earlier this year by Gov. Greg Abbott with support from legislative leaders including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, Senate Education Chair Brandon Creighton, and House Public Education Chair Brad Buckley. Once fully implemented, the program will empower eligible families to direct funds toward approved education expenses beginning with the 2026–27 school year, making it the largest day-one education savings account program in the nation.
Hancock discussed the rollout during a conversation with yes. every kid. foundation. Vice President of Implementation Heidie Nesset, whose team supports states nationwide as they design and administer education freedom programs.
A milestone decades in the making
Hancock said the new program represents the culmination of decades of work on education freedom in Texas—a shared effort among lawmakers, parents, and advocates.
“Empowering parents with the ability to choose the education that works best for their child has always been vitally important,” he said. “For me, it’s been a 30-year battle to see us get to where we’re at. Gov. Abbott was all in on making sure we got educational freedom for families, and we’re very excited about it and look forward to the implementation.”
Goals centered on student readiness
Hancock said TEFA was designed to prepare students for the future they choose, whether that’s a university campus or a skilled trade career.
“These accounts can be used at career and technology institutions for training for all kinds of various things — plumbers, electricians,” he said. He added that policymakers want to see more students graduate ready to step directly into college or the workforce, helping Texas fill critical jobs across industries.
Key operational steps completed
Hancock said several major milestones in TEFA administration are complete:
- A program implementation partner with relevant experience has been selected
- A dedicated leadership team is in place within the comptroller’s office
- More than 300 public comments on proposed rules have been reviewed
- A structured implementation timeline is guiding daily decision-making
“We’ve created a matrix where we have decision points and markers and time slots,” Hancock said. “We’re using a very business-like approach in adopting this.”
He said implementation is on schedule, with each phase focused on ensuring the program is efficient, transparent, and ready for families.
Because the legislation passed late in the session, Hancock noted the first year’s rollout will begin later than in future cycles.
“Fortunately, because we’ve been talking about this in Texas for years, we were able to at least prepare to move forward even before the legislation was passed,” he said. Hancock added that the comptroller’s office has emphasized coordination across agencies and clear processes to support a smooth rollout.
Once final rules are adopted, families and education providers will be able to access a coordinated enrollment platform—first for providers, then for parents.
Building statewide awareness
As Texas prepares for the first round of applications, the comptroller’s office is turning its attention to outreach and family engagement.
“What we found is that many families, especially in the low-income areas, are completely unaware of the program,” Hancock said. “We’ve got to get the word out between now and registration time.”
Hancock said he’s been sharing that message during meetings across the state, emphasizing the scale of the upcoming launch. “I’ve said it at the various meetings I’ve been at — we want to sell out,” he said. “We have a billion dollars, the largest program in the history of the nation, and we want to make sure that we have full participation so that we can have an even bigger list the following school year.”
Looking ahead
Hancock emphasized that collaboration among families, providers, and community partners will be essential to the program’s success.
“We just want everybody to be part of the team. We want everybody to support the program,” he said. “It’ll take all of us working together to help make this a successful program and create a template that the rest of the nation can follow.”
He emphasized that the true vision of TEFA goes beyond logistics and timelines—it’s about kids and the joy that comes from educational freedom.
“When you offer freedom, you create smiles,” he said. “That’s the vision I have: seeing a child smiling when they’re going to school, excited about learning in whatever environment or style that may be. To me, that’s the ultimate goal. Kids are too important to settle for anything other than success of this program.”
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