Last updated: · Ecole Schools
Short answer: state funding for microschools moves on windows, not on demand. Texas Education Freedom Account applications run 4 February to 17 March 2026 — six weeks, once a year. Florida’s programmes run on their own annual cycle through the funding organisations. New Jersey has no programme at all. Missing a window costs a family a school year, and costs a school a cohort.
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Texas: Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA), 2026-27
| Item | Confirmed detail |
|---|---|
| Family application window | 4 February 2026 – 17 March 2026 |
| Award, private school student | $10,474 (85% of the statewide average of state and local funding per public school student) |
| Award, student with an IEP | Up to $30,000; IEP must be on file with the Texas Education Agency by the end of the application period |
| Award, homeschooled and other accepted students | $2,000 |
| Provider side | Accredited private schools and pre-K providers register directly; non-accredited microschools register as education service providers |
| Where to apply | EducationFreedom.Texas.Gov |
First-cycle demand was far above capacity: the Comptroller reported more than 8,000 applications in the first hour, 42,000 on day one and 130,000 by the midpoint of the window, against a cycle sized around 100,000 funded students. More than 2,000 accredited private schools and pre-K providers and 200 education service providers had registered. Full detail on the Texas ESA guide.
Florida: PEP, FES and the Tax Credit scholarships
Florida runs its programmes through state-approved funding organisations rather than a single annual state window, and award amounts vary by county and grade band. Reported 2025-26 Personalized Education Program figures average about $8,000 per student with a published range near $7,613–$11,950. Because the cycle and the paperwork are administered by the funding organisation, the authoritative calendar is theirs: check Step Up For Students for the current cycle before planning a school year around it.
The provider-side deadline that actually binds a Florida microschool is different: registration with the Florida Department of Education comes first, because only registered private schools can participate in the scholarship programmes. That is covered in the Florida guide.
Arizona: universal ESA, no single window
Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account programme is universal — open to any K–12 student with no income test — and it does not run on one short annual window the way Texas does. Most students receive roughly $7,000–$8,000 a year. For a school the binding deadline is its own: being registered in the programme before funded families choose. Details on the Arizona guide.
New Jersey: no state programme
New Jersey has no education savings account or voucher-style programme, so there is no window to miss — families pay tuition directly and schools plan enrolment on their own calendar. The compliance calendar that does matter in New Jersey is the family’s own notice and record-keeping under the equivalent-instruction rule, explained in the New Jersey guide.
What should a microschool do in the eight weeks before any window?
The work that decides whether funded families can choose you happens before applications open, not during. This sequence applies in any state with a programme:
- Confirm your provider status. Accredited school, registered school or service provider — each has a different route and a different lead time. Start with the programme’s own provider page, not a summary.
- Get listed. Families search the programme’s approved-provider list at the moment they apply. A school missing from that list is invisible exactly when the decision is made.
- Publish your tuition and your discount policy. Families are doing arithmetic against the award amount. Vague pricing loses applications; about 65 percent of microschools offer sliding-scale tuition, so say so.
- Prepare the records the programme will ask for. Enrolment, attendance, and evidence of progress. Where testing is a condition of funding, know which test and when.
- Tell families the truth about odds. Where demand exceeds capacity, acceptance is not guaranteed. Schools that set expectations honestly keep families through a rejection; schools that promise funding lose them.
- Have a plan for unfunded families. Payment plans and need-based discounts decide whether a near-miss becomes an enrolment anyway.
How do you keep track when rules change mid-cycle?
Programme rules move between cycles and sometimes within them. Three habits keep a school out of trouble: read the programme’s own site rather than summaries (including this one) before acting; date every figure you publish so families know what it applied to; and ask the administering organisation in writing when a rule is ambiguous. This page is dated and updated each cycle for the same reason.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Texas ESA application open in 2026?
The Texas Education Freedom Account application window runs from 4 February 2026 to 17 March 2026 — six weeks, once a year. Applications are made through EducationFreedom.Texas.Gov.
How much is the Texas ESA per student?
$10,474 for a student at a participating private school in 2026-27, up to $30,000 for a student with an IEP on file with the Texas Education Agency, and $2,000 for homeschooled and other accepted students.
Can a microschool receive Texas ESA money without accreditation?
Yes, through a different route: accredited private schools receive tuition directly, while non-accredited microschools register as education service providers and bill for services such as tutoring and curriculum.
Does Florida have an application deadline for PEP?
Florida’s programmes run through state-approved funding organisations on their own cycle rather than a single state window. Check the funding organisation’s current cycle; for a microschool, registration with the Florida Department of Education has to happen first.
Does New Jersey have an ESA or voucher programme?
No. New Jersey has no education savings account or voucher-style programme, so families pay tuition directly.
What happens if a family misses the application window?
They wait for the next cycle. That is why provider registration and family communication have to be finished before the window opens rather than during it.
Sources
- Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Fiscal Notes programme reporting on Texas Education Freedom Accounts — application window, award amounts, registration and application volumes.
- EducationFreedom.Texas.Gov — the official application portal.
- Step Up For Students — Personalized Education Program (Florida PEP administration and award information).
- National Microschooling Center, American Microschools: A Sector Analysis (May 2025) — the sliding-scale tuition figure.
Dates and amounts change between cycles. This page states the date it was last updated at the top; always confirm against the programme’s own site before acting.
Start the conversation
If you are preparing for a funding window — registering as a provider, setting tuition against an award amount, or getting records in shape — see our services or contact us. The full set of guides is on the microschool guides page.