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Earth Native Wilderness School is an approved TEFA vendor. We are excited about the possibility of helping families use TEFA funding for select Earth Native programs. Because TEFA is a brand-new state program, there are still important unknowns about timing, procedures, and how funds will move through the system. This page shares what we know right now, along with Earth Native’s current policies for families intending to use TEFA. 

 

What Earth Native programs do we plan to include in TEFA?

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At this time, we plan to include the following programs in TEFA:

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• Wild Outside
  McKinney Falls State Park, Austin

• Farm & Forest Roots
  Earth Native Campus, Bastrop

• Owl Eyes
  Garey Park, Georgetown

• Wild Life Forest Preschool
  Earth Native Campus, Bastrop

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Is Earth Native an approved TEFA vendor?

Yes. Earth Native Wilderness School is an approved TEFA vendor.

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Where should families go for official TEFA updates?

The best place to go for official TEFA updates is the Texas Education Freedom Accounts website, including the FAQ and program updates posted there. 

 

Are there still unknowns about TEFA?

Yes. As of April 2026, there are still many unknowns about TEFA because the program is new and is still being rolled out by the state. There are still developing details around how families will access and spend funds, how vendor accounts will function, and how funds will move through the system. Official TEFA materials indicate that additional guidance for participants is still being developed. 

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When will families know if they have received TEFA funding?

The deadline to apply for TEFA was March 30th, 2026. According to the official TEFA timeline, funding notifications begin in April 2026. Many families who applied may already know, or may soon know, whether they have received funding. 

 

When will TEFA funds become available?

Official TEFA materials state that the first round of funding is scheduled to be made available on Odyssey’s platform on July 1, 2026. Additional funding is scheduled for no later than October 1, 2026, and April 1, 2027. 

 

When will TEFA vendor listings and vendor pages go live?

At this time, we are being told by Odyssey (the company that the state chose to manage the TEFA program) that TEFA vendor listings and pages may not go live until July 2026. It is possible this could happen sooner, but that is the timeline we are currently being given. We can not confirm a more specific public launch date from official public materials. 

 

If I want to use TEFA funds for an Earth Native program, what do I need to do?

Families who wish to use TEFA funding for an eligible Earth Native program must still enroll through the Earth Native website and can do so at any time. There is no need to wait until July or until your funds are officially released.

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Families must pay the required Earth Native program registration fees out of pocket. Under state rules and Earth Native policy, registration fees are not covered through the TEFA payment process. Earth Native requires these upfront fees to reserve a student’s place in a program, and TEFA funds are not expected to reach vendors until after the state’s funding rollout begins. 

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Why do families still have to pay registration fees out of pocket?

Earth Native requires upfront registration fees in order to register for a program and reserve a spot.

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This is especially important because TEFA funding is being rolled out through the state and Odyssey platform on a delayed schedule. Families should not expect TEFA funds to function like an immediate payment at checkout on the Earth Native website. 

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If I enroll, intending to use TEFA funds, am I still agreeing to Earth Native’s cancellation policy?

Yes. Families enrolling in an Earth Native program and intending to use TEFA funds are still personally agreeing to the terms of Earth Native’s cancellation policy and are personally guaranteeing payment of tuition within the bounds of that policy.

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For example:

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• If a family enrolls and then withdraws shortly before the program begins, they will still be personally responsible for any late withdrawal fees owed under Earth Native’s cancellation policy.

• If a family exhausts TEFA funds on other educational expenses, they remain responsible for any unpaid Earth Native tuition balance.

• If a family does not receive enough TEFA funding to fully cover tuition, they are responsible for the remaining out-of-pocket balance.

 

Will TEFA always cover the full cost of an Earth Native program?

Not necessarily.

Families should not assume TEFA will automatically cover every Earth Native cost in full. If TEFA funds are insufficient, unavailable, exhausted elsewhere, or the program the family enrolled in is not one of our eligible TEFA programs (listed above), the family will be responsible for paying any remaining balance out of pocket.

 

Can TEFA funds and Earth Native scholarships be used at the same time?

TEFA funds and Earth Native scholarships are not eligible to be used at the same time.

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If a family receives TEFA funding and can use that funding to cover tuition for an eligible Earth Native program, we expect that family to use TEFA funding instead of applying for or utilizing an Earth Native scholarship.

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Earth Native is a small family-owned and operated business, and Earth Native's scholarships are largely funded personally by the owners of Earth Native, Dave and Mikki Scott. Each year, we receive many more scholarship requests from lower-income families than we are able to fund. For that reason, we believe that families with access to public funding for eligible Earth Native programs should use this funding in place of a scholarship, so that our scholarship funds can be reallocated to families who do not have this option.

 

Final note

​TEFA is a new program, and details may change as the state continues implementation. We will share updates as we learn more, but families should continue checking the official TEFA website for the latest updates. 

 

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