The add-on copies what the home district would have drawn from the state special-education formula for the instructional setting in the IEP. Because the formula favors small districts, two children with the same IEP can be funded differently depending on which side of a district line they live on.
In McAllen ISD a mainstream IEP (code 40) brings the account to $16,889 for 2026-27, and resource or self-contained settings come to $15,790. Edinburg CISD's mainstream figure is $16,673, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD's is $17,035, Sharyland ISD's is $17,074 and Mission CISD's is $17,176.
The small districts sit well above that. A mainstream IEP reaches $19,782 in Monte Alto ISD, $20,356 in La Villa ISD and $22,014 in San Isidro ISD in Starr County. A speech-only IEP (code 00) adds the least, about $900 to $1,000 in the larger Hidalgo County districts.
Only a public-school IEP counts; a private diagnosis doesn't. If you think your child needs services, request a full evaluation from your home district well before the next application window, since a district must evaluate a resident child even if the child attends private school. A homeschooled child with an IEP receives the $2,000 account.
What the IEP adds in the largest McAllen-area districts
| Home district | TEFA-funded students (Jul 29, 2026) | IEP: speech only (00) | IEP: mainstream (40) | IEP: resource / self-contained (41-44) | IEP: residential facility (81-89) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen ISD | 312 | $11,404 | $16,889 | $15,790 | $25,815 |
| Edinburg CISD | 407 | $11,372 | $16,673 | $15,611 | $25,298 |
| Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD | 155 | $11,425 | $17,035 | $15,911 | $26,163 |
| Sharyland ISD | 160 | $11,431 | $17,074 | $15,943 | $26,257 |
| Mission CISD | 75 | $11,445 | $17,176 | $16,028 | $26,501 |
| Weslaco ISD | 153 | $11,392 | $16,806 | $15,721 | $25,615 |
| La Joya ISD | 72 | $11,395 | $16,826 | $15,738 | $25,665 |
| Donna ISD | 73 | $11,389 | $16,786 | $15,705 | $25,568 |
| Hidalgo ISD | 57 | $11,499 | $17,413 | $16,442 | $27,485 |
| Rio Grande City Grulla ISD | 50 | $11,401 | $16,873 | $15,776 | $25,775 |
Totals are the $10,474 base plus the district add-on from the Comptroller's 2026-27 Special Education Funding Table, capped at $30,000. Funded counts come from the TEFA Annual Demographic Report (data as of July 29, 2026); districts with fewer than 30 participants aren't listed in that report. All McAllen-area districts →
Combining it with other sources
Valley families rarely rely on one source. This one generally combines with the school's own discounts and scholarships and with at least one other source on our list. The funding check works out the right mix for your child.