Whitestone Microschool: Time-Sensitive Opportunity
The Opportunity
Texas TEFA (Texas Education Freedom Account) funding allows families to receive state funds for alternative education including microschools. Once a family is approved, they keep funding for life until their child ages out of K-12.
Churches with existing communities are uniquely positioned to launch microschools because you can gauge real demand before committing resources.
Why This Is Urgent
The TEFA application window opens February 4, 2026 and closes March 17, 2026.
For Whitestone families to apply for Fall 2026 funding, they need to know about this opportunity before the window opens. That means:
- By end of January: Announce to congregation
- February 4 - March 17: Interested families apply for TEFA
- Early April: Families receive funding notifications
- April/May: Plan capacity based on approvals
- August 2026: Launch
The Decision Point
You have about 2 weeks from this moment to decide if Fall 2026 is realistic.
If Whitestone wants to explore this seriously:
- Leadership team discusses this coming week (Jan 6-10)
- Decide by mid-January whether to announce to congregation
- Announce by last week of January at latest
If the timeline feels too rushed, that's okay. The smarter play may be to plan properly for Fall 2027. But families who apply and get approved this cycle (Feb-March 2026) lock in funding for YEARS to come regardless of when they use it.
Suggested Next Step
If you're interested in exploring this, let's schedule a 30-minute call this week to discuss whether Fall 2026 is feasible for Whitestone or if Fall 2027 makes more sense.
Happy to answer any questions.
— Gary