Ask most Valley parents about TEFA and they'll talk about private school tuition. But in Hidalgo and Starr counties, the part of the program with the most places to use it is pre-K. When we pulled the state's participating-provider finder for this site, approved pre-K and kindergarten providers outnumbered participating K-12 schools by several times. For a family with a 3- or 4-year-old, that changes the math.
What the account pays at pre-K
An approved pre-K or kindergarten provider receives the same award as a private school: $10,474 for 2026-27. The money goes to the provider in installments, never to the parent. Unlike K-12, though, pre-K isn't open to every child. A 3- or 4-year-old has to meet one of the criteria Texas uses for free public pre-K.
The eligibility list
A child who is at least 3 years old qualifies with any one of these:
- Unable to speak and comprehend the English language
- Eligible for the free or reduced-price school meal program
- Homeless
- The child of an active-duty member of the armed forces, including reserve or state forces ordered to active duty, or of a member injured or killed on active duty
- In foster care now or in the past
- The child of a Star of Texas Award recipient
- The child of a classroom teacher in a Texas public school
Statewide, 19,497 eligible pre-K applicants were counted in the Comptroller's demographic report and 9,449 were funded. Checking the list before you apply saves time.
The two criteria that fit many Valley families
Limited English. In many McAllen, Mission, Pharr and Rio Grande City homes, Spanish is the first language a child hears. A 3-year-old who can't yet speak and understand English meets this criterion regardless of family income. It's about the child's English, not the parents' citizenship or the household's earnings, and bilingual families should not assume they're excluded just because both parents work.
Free or reduced-price meals. Eligibility uses the federal school meal income limits. Families who receive SNAP benefits generally qualify automatically for free meals, and many working households fall under the reduced-price line.
The teacher criterion is worth remembering too: a child whose parent teaches in a Texas public school classroom qualifies at any income.
Where the providers are
The approved providers in our area cluster in McAllen, Mission, Pharr, Weslaco and Edinburg, with a smaller group in Rio Grande City and Roma. They include small bilingual academies, church preschools, franchise learning centers, and two campus programs: the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's child development center in Edinburg and the South Texas College Mid-Valley campus child development center in Weslaco. Several Catholic schools, including Our Lady of Sorrows in McAllen and Oratory Academy in Pharr, start at PreK 3 as well. Our TEFA pre-K provider list shows every one with an address and phone number, and you can filter by city.
What a provider needs to be approved
If your child already attends a center that isn't on the list, it may be able to join. The Comptroller requires a child care license in good standing plus one quality credential:
- Texas Rising Star certification at 3 stars or higher
- Texas School Ready participation
- A pre-K partnership with a public school district
- Accreditation from a recognized organization
Providers can apply at any time. Ask the director whether the center has applied and which credential it holds.
After-care is a separate bill
TEFA does not pay for extended-day or after-school care, even at an approved provider. For working parents that gap matters, and it's where the state's child care scholarship program comes in. In Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties, the program runs through Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande Valley, which has child care staff at its Weslaco office on West Pike Boulevard and its Rio Grande City office on Brand Street. Applications now go through the state's Texas Child Care Connection (TX3C) system.
Child care scholarships are based on income and on parents working, going to school or training. They pay a participating provider directly, with a parent share based on income. Funding is limited and boards keep waitlists, so apply as early as you can. Ask your center whether it accepts the subsidy; many of the same Texas Rising Star centers that qualify for TEFA pre-K do. Details are on our child care assistance page.
Kindergarten keeps the account going
The pre-K criteria stop applying at kindergarten. Any eligible child can be funded for kindergarten at an approved provider, so a family can stay at the same center or move up to a participating elementary school without needing to qualify through English or income. From first grade on, the account works at participating private schools, and any unspent balance carries forward while the child stays in the program.
How to get ready
- Decide which criterion your child meets, and gather proof: meal eligibility, a military or teaching employment letter, or foster care records.
- Visit two or three approved providers near home or work and ask about hours, language of instruction and after-care costs.
- Sign up for Comptroller notices so you know when the 2027-28 window opens.
- Apply for a child care scholarship if you'll need care beyond the school day.
If you aren't sure whether your 3- or 4-year-old qualifies, our Valley pre-K guide walks through it, and an advisor can check during the funding check.