What's left after TEFA? Six Fort Worth examples
Knowing the award is the first half. The second is how it lands against a real bill. These Fort Worth-area examples pair the 2026-27 amounts with illustrative tuition and show what fills a shortfall or what a surplus can buy.
| Scenario | 2026-27 TEFA | Tuition + fees (illustrative) | Result | Then what |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diocesan parish school, pre-K through 8, east Fort Worth | $10,474 | $9,600 | $874 left | The award covers tuition, and the balance can pay for uniforms, books and school lunch. |
| Classical Christian school, upper grades, west Fort Worth | $10,474 | $12,800 | $2,326 to pay | There's a gap. Ask about sibling pricing, and bank rollover from the lower grades if your child started young. |
| Catholic high school in Fort Worth | $10,474 | $15,500 | $5,026 to pay | School aid is the main lever. The diocese reports that about half its students get some scholarship, and dual credit can trim future costs. |
| Learning-differences school, Fort Worth ISD resident with a mainstream IEP | $16,794 | $25,000 | $8,206 to pay | The IEP adds $6,320 to the account. School aid and insurance-billed therapy close the rest. |
| Small church academy in Johnson County | $10,474 | $7,800 | $2,674 left | Tuition sits below the award, so more than $2,600 remains for fees, testing or tutoring. |
| Homeschool with an online classical curriculum around $2,800 | $2,000 | $2,800 | $800 to pay | $800 more than the homeschool account. The vendor must be approved in the marketplace. |
Every tuition number here is an example, not a quote. No state or federal source collects private-school tuition in Texas, so ask each school for its current rates.
If there's a gap
Try school aid, the Diocese of Fort Worth's Tuition Assistance Fund at Catholic schools, our partner scholarship at partner church schools, TCC dual credit for high schoolers, and the federal scholarship tax credit from January 2027.
Funding sources →If there's money left
Unspent money carries into the next year as long as your child remains in TEFA, and it can go toward required fees, tutoring, therapy, curriculum, dual credit, tests or transportation.
What TEFA pays for →See which Fort Worth funding sources fit your child
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