How to find TEFA-approved providers in the Odyssey marketplace

You've been approved for a Texas Education Freedom Account. Your award is confirmed and your Odyssey portal is set up. Next comes the part families often stall on: which providers you can spend with, and where checkout happens.

Two tools get mixed up. The public TEFA Finder at finder.educationfreedom.texas.gov is a directory of participating schools and education services. Purchases happen inside Odyssey at withodyssey.com. Treat the Finder as the catalog and Odyssey as checkout [1].

For a click-by-click Odyssey walkthrough, including Outschool credit bundles, use our TEFA Odyssey marketplace guide. This page is the finder-first version: how to search, which categories to use, and when funds show up.

What is the Odyssey marketplace?

TEFA is administered through Odyssey, the certified educational assistance organization selected by the Texas Comptroller. Families log in there to view awards, confirm enrollment or homeschool opt-in, and buy from approved providers.

The Finder is the public map and search tool. New providers are added over time, so a program missing in July can show up later. Being listed in the Finder does not guarantee the vendor is live for purchase in Odyssey. Search the same name inside Odyssey before you plan around it.

How to search the TEFA Finder

Step 1: Open the finder. Go to finder.educationfreedom.texas.gov. Use a standard browser such as Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

Step 2: Set your location. The map defaults to statewide. Enter a city or zip to narrow results, or leave it broad for online providers that serve Texas.

Step 3: Filter by category. Providers are grouped into schools, tutoring, enrichment, classes, curriculum, and other educational services. Online programs are listed here too. TEFA treats online educational programs as an approved expense.

Step 4: Browse, then confirm in Odyssey. Click listings for category detail. Note a few options, then search those names in Odyssey before you enroll.

What categories to look for

Depending on what your family needs, search for:

• Tutoring: one-on-one academic support in core subjects
• Enrichment: interest-led classes in arts, coding, languages, and more
• Classes: structured academic instruction, live or self-paced
• Curriculum: full-year or subject-specific programs
• Private schools: TEA-participating schools, if you are on the private school track
• CTE/career programs: career and technical education and industry-credential programs

On the homeschool track, tutoring, enrichment, classes, and curriculum are where many families spend most of the $2,000. Mix academic support with interest-led work if that is how your kid learns.

What to look for when evaluating a provider

Is the provider approved for your category? A vendor can sit in the Finder and only be approved for certain categories. Confirm the match in Odyssey before you buy.

Does the format work for your family? Online programs cover more subjects. Local programs add in-person time. Many families mix both.

What's the pricing structure? TEFA funds roll over year to year if the kid stays in the program, so you do not have to empty the account in August. Per-class pricing is often easier to pace than one large prepay.

Are classes ongoing or one-time? Recurring weekly classes build skill over time. One-off classes are a lower-stakes try.

About Outschool and TEFA

Outschool is listed on the TEFA Finder in Tutoring, Enrichment, Classes, and Curriculum. Search "Outschool" in the Finder, then search the same name in Odyssey.

In Odyssey, TEFA families buy student-specific Outschool credit bundles. Credits attach to that kid, not a shared family pot. Once purchased, they can be used toward classes and tutoring on Outschool in any subject. Funds typically show in the Outschool account within one business day. See current tiers in the Odyssey marketplace guide.

Outschool offers live, small-group classes and 1:1 tutoring across subjects for kids ages 3-18. Families pay per class rather than locking a full semester, which helps stretch a $2,000 homeschool award. Browse classes by subject and age.

Building your TEFA spending plan

Start with gaps and interests. What does your kid need support with, and what are they excited to try? Let those two signals shape the first purchases.

Mix foundational and enrichment spending. Math tutoring can address a real academic need. Creative writing or coding can keep learning engaging. Both are approved TEFA expenses when bought through Odyssey.

Don't spend it all at once. Funds roll over. In year one, try one or two providers, then add more once you see what sticks.

Check back regularly. New providers land on the Finder and in Odyssey on a rolling basis.

For award amounts and what TEFA covers, see our TEFA guide for Texas parents. If you are choosing between PDSES and TEFA, see Texas IEP families: PDSES, TEFA, or both?.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to use the TEFA Finder to find providers?

You can only spend TEFA funds with program-approved providers, and checkout happens in Odyssey. The Finder is the most complete public directory. Always confirm the same provider inside Odyssey before you enroll.

Can I use TEFA funds for online classes from providers outside Texas?

Yes. TEFA approves online educational programs, and providers do not need to be Texas-based. They do need to be program-approved and available in Odyssey.

What if a provider I want isn't listed?

Vendors can apply on a rolling basis. If someone you want is missing, ask them to apply, check back later, or pick a comparable approved provider. You cannot pay outside Odyssey and get reimbursed.

When will my TEFA funds be available to spend?

Homeschool/other families who are awarded receive the full $2,000 in a single installment, not in 25% private-school slices. July 1, 2026 funding required opt-in by June 15. Opt-in by July 31 was scheduled for mid-August funding. Families who come off the waitlist later receive funding as soon as practicable, and awards confirmed after July 15 may be prorated. Private school families receive 25% after enrollment is confirmed (July 1 if the school confirmed by June 15), another 25% on October 1, and the rest on February 1 [1].

An IEP can affect how TEFA ranks an application. It does not change the $2,000 homeschool amount, and it does not mean every awarded homeschool family sees funds on the same day.

Sources

[1] Texas Comptroller, Texas Education Freedom Accounts. "Funding Timelines and Installments." June 4, 2026. educationfreedom.texas.gov/newsupdates/funding-timelines-and-installments/