Texas TEFA Technology Spending Limit Calculator

What parents are actually asking

We went looking for how real Texas families talk about this before we wrote a word. In the r/TexasEFA parent community, one parent put the whole problem in eight words:

"A lot of electronics are more than $200."

That's it. That's the page. Two other questions came up too: whether you can spend the full $1,047.40 before all three installments land, and whether rolled-over money makes your 10% bigger.

We answer all three below, with sources.

These are parent questions, not policy. Every answer on this page comes from the law, the Comptroller's rules, or Odyssey's current guidance — never from a forum post.

What does the Texas TEFA 10% technology limit actually mean?

Answer: Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) is the state's education savings account program, created by Senate Bill 2 in 2025 and run by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Under it, covered technology is capped at 10% of the money set aside for your child for the program year. That 10% is one shared pot across every restricted tech category — not a fresh 10% for each item.

Here's the sentence that does all the work, straight from the law. Texas Education Code § 29.359(a)(8) allows the cost of computer hardware, software, and other technological devices, "not to exceed in any year 10 percent of the total amount transferred" to the child's account that year.

The Comptroller's adopted rule, 34 Texas Administrative Code § 16.406(9), ties the same 10% to the amount allocated for the child for the program year. And the rules define the program year as July 1 through June 30 (§ 16.401). So your tech limit resets on July 1, not when school starts.

Odyssey — the certified educational assistance organization, or CEAO, that runs the accounts and the store — states it as 10% of the student's annual Award Amount.

One pot, not thirteen

Odyssey says this plainly: the restriction applies collectively across all the technology categories it lists. The combined total can't go over 10%.

So it works like this:

laptop + printer + headphones + software + every other listed item
= ONE running total

Not this:

10% for the laptop
+ 10% for the printer
+ 10% for the headphones

Plan the second way and you can find out only at checkout. That's an expensive mistake.

Four checks, not one

A tech purchase has to clear four separate gates. The calculator handles only part of that job.

Our calculator handles check 3 and the balance half of check 4. It cannot do 1, 2, or the approval. We'd rather say that up front than have you find out at the register.

→ Run your numbers, then keep reading — the rest of this page is about the checks the calculator can't do

Here's the hard part, and we're not going to soften it

Answer: A $2,000 homeschool or "other setting" award produces a $200 technology ceiling for the entire year. That may not cover the laptop your child needs. There is no separate allowance for a child with a disability — when the Comptroller was formally asked to lift the cap for assistive devices, it said no, because the 10% figure is written into the statute.

That request is in the public record. When the Comptroller adopted the final TEFA rules, a commenter asked that the 10% cap be relaxed for assistive devices or specialized tools recommended by an educator or therapist. The Comptroller's response was that Education Code § 29.359(a)(8) explicitly limits the amount, and it declined to change the rule.

Read that again if your child needs a communication device. A commenter asked the state for help. In writing. On the record. The answer was that the law doesn't allow it.

We're telling you because you deserve to plan around the real rule, not a hopeful one.

Now the part nobody tells you

The law puts technology in one small side bucket. Every restricted device and software-program purchase shares the same 10% ceiling. If a big device budget is your priority, TEFA is the wrong tool and you should plan to buy that device with your own money.

But here's why that same narrowness can work in your favor: the 10% cap is limited to covered technology. Curriculum, online courses, digital instructional materials, tutoring, covered therapy, and assessments use other approved expense categories when the exact listing, provider, and service meet program rules.

Your $2,000 does not have to disappear into a laptop. It can fund the teaching too. And at least 90% sits outside the technology bucket.

If this limit is the thing blocking you, two real paths forward:

• Your child has an IEP (individualized education program — the written plan a public school writes for a student who qualifies for special education). Your dollar ceiling only grows if your award grows, because it's a percentage. That's worth checking. → Check your child's special education award math
• You just need a device. Ask your school whether it provides or loans one. The Comptroller also agreed that a private school's own technology fee can meet the program's "tuition and fees" definition. That is different from buying a laptop yourself.

Which number do I use — my award or my wallet balance?

Which purchases count against the technology limit?

Answer: Odyssey currently lists 13 categories under the shared 10% technology restriction: headphones, cameras, 3D printers, laptops, tablets, desktops, monitors, webcams, printers, computer accessories, calculators, internet hot spots, and software programs. 3D printers carry one extra rule — one purchase per year. The full list was last updated July 27, 2026.

Here it is in one parent-facing table.

Source: Odyssey's published TEFA purchase restrictions, updated July 27, 2026 and checked August 8, 2026.

The three that catch people

Calculators. Headphones. Internet hot spots.

None of those feel like "computer hardware." A graphing calculator feels like a school supply. A hotspot feels like a utility bill. All three come out of the same pot as your laptop.

On a $200 ceiling, that's most of your year gone before you've bought a computer.

Why this list is easy to miss

Because of where it lives. Odyssey publishes the list in a support article titled “What Are the Purchase Restrictions for TEFA?” The state's own parent-facing Families page does not name the 13 categories. It just says “computer hardware or software.”

That gap is the reason this page exists.

→ Check your cart against all 13 categories in the calculator

Does my online curriculum count against the technology limit?

Answer: A listing in Odyssey's separate Curriculum, Online Learning Program, or Online Classes category does not appear on the current 13-category restricted list. But Texas has not published a blanket exemption for every online curriculum. If the exact listing is categorized as Software Programs, count it against the 10%. When the Comptroller adopted the final TEFA rules, a company formally asked it to clarify this line. The Comptroller added a definition of "instructional materials" that covers digital materials, widened the definition of an online educational course, and named VR headsets and Manual J calculation software as examples of capped technology.

This is the most valuable paragraph on this page, so let us slow down and show you the receipts.

During the public comment period on the TEFA rules, a company called Interplay asked the Comptroller to clarify that the word "software" should exclude online courses, digital curricula, and online instructional materials — whether they're the main lessons or extra practice — so the 10% cap wouldn't apply to them.

The Comptroller's response did three things:

1. It added a definition of "instructional materials" to § 16.401 specifically to confirm that digital materials qualify as instructional materials.
2. It removed the "for-credit" requirement from the definition of an online educational course or program, making that category broader.
3. It said that some items — its own two examples were VR headsets and Manual J calculation software — are allowed but are subject to the statutory 10% cap.

So the Comptroller drew a line. It just never drew it in plain English for parents.

The line, in plain English

Ask yourself one question about the thing in your cart.

Is it the teaching, or is it a tool?

That distinction is why a $2,000 homeschool award goes a lot further than $200 makes it sound.

The Marketplace has separate categories — and that matters

This is the part that turns our reading into something you can actually act on.

Odyssey's Marketplace category guide lists these as their own categories, separate from "Printers" and "Software Programs":

• Curriculum
• Online Learning Program
• Online Classes
• Educational Applications
• Printer Supplies

None of those five appear on the 13-category restricted list.

That lines up with what the Comptroller did in the rulemaking. But be careful with it, and here's the honest boundary: not being on the restricted list is not the same as being officially exempt. We haven't found a published statement that says Educational Applications or Printer Supplies are outside the cap. We're telling you what the categories are and what the record shows, not inventing a permission slip.

The one thing that overrides all of it

The category on the exact Marketplace listing is the practical check.

If a digital curriculum is listed under "Software Programs," expect the system to treat it as capped technology no matter what the rulemaking record says. So before you add anything to the cart, look at the listing's category. If it looks wrong, ask Odyssey — and keep the reply.

→ Review Odyssey's current Marketplace category list before you buy

Who has to "require" the device before TEFA will pay for it?

Answer: Under Texas Education Code § 29.359(a)(8), technology qualifies if it's required by an approved education service provider or vendor, or if it's prescribed by a physician to help with the child's education. That's broader than what the parent-facing pages describe — Odyssey's guidance says the item must be required by the child's enrolled private school or homeschool program and used primarily for educational purposes.

Four official sources describe this one rule. They don't match. Here's the comparison, which we built by reading each one:

The fix a textbook publisher got made

Here's what the rulemaking record shows.

The Comptroller's first draft of the rule said technology had to be required by a private school. McGraw-Hill filed a comment pointing out that the statute is broader than that. The Comptroller agreed and adopted the rule with changes so that technology required by any approved provider or vendor qualifies.

If you homeschool, that change matters. You do not have a private school to require the item, so the adopted wording keeps the rule aligned with the broader statute.

The doctor's note missing from parent guidance

The statute allows technology "prescribed by a physician to facilitate a child's education."

As of our verification date, we did not find that route mentioned on the state's Families page or in Odyssey's parent-facing expense guidance. It's in the law. It's not in the instructions parents read.

If your child needs a device for a medical reason, ask the physician for something in writing that names the device and says it is prescribed to help with your child's education. Odyssey has not published one universal form for this route, so keep the document and any reply you receive.

To be clear about what it does and doesn't do: a prescription can help make a device eligible. It does not raise your 10% ceiling. That ceiling is in the statute. A prescription does not waive it.

What "required" should look like on paper

Keep written proof that names the item and the approved provider, vendor, or physician who required or prescribed it. Odyssey has not published one universal proof format. If a purchase gets questioned later, that record is your answer. The Comptroller can recover money spent on items that were not allowed, including from the parent in the circumstances set by law.

Can I spend my full technology limit right now?

Answer: Not necessarily. Your 10% is an annual ceiling, but a payment can never be larger than the money currently in your child's account. A private-school account confirmed by June 15 was scheduled for 25% on July 1, another 25% on October 1, and the remaining 50% on February 1. Accounts confirmed by July 31 were scheduled for their first 25% in mid-August. The balance is the limit for what the account can fund today.

This is the question that parent asked on Reddit, and it deserves a straight answer with the arithmetic behind it.

The 40% rule

Here's the arithmetic the official pages do not show.

For an account that starts with the standard first installment, that installment is 25% of the award. The annual tech ceiling is 10% of the award. Ten divided by twenty-five is forty. So:

For a private-school student whose first 25% installment is fully posted and untouched, the annual technology ceiling equals exactly 40% of that first installment.

• $10,474 award → $1,047.40 ceiling vs. a $2,618.50 first installment. That's 40%.
• $30,000 award → $3,000 ceiling vs. a $7,500 first installment. Also 40%.

If that first installment is still untouched, spending the full tech allowance commits two-fifths of it to devices before tuition is paid.

That's not a rule against it. It's a reason to check tuition first and wait if your school needs that deposit.

Homeschool families are in the opposite spot

For an on-time homeschool or other-setting account, the full $2,000 was scheduled in one installment. Once it is actually posted, your $200 ceiling is exactly 10% of that deposit. You do not have to wait for a later installment.

You just don't have much of it.

The two-limit math

Remaining annual tech room:   $1,047.40
Current account balance:      $600.00
Balance-based maximum today:  $600.00

The rule behind that: a payment can't exceed the child's account balance. So enter your balance in the calculator. Otherwise you'll get your annual ceiling and mistake it for money you can spend this afternoon.

Why do TEFA technology purchases get denied?

Do rolled-over funds increase next year's technology limit?

Answer: Unused TEFA money rolls over as long as your child stays eligible, continues in the program, and remains in good standing. But the cap is written against the money set aside for that program year, and Odyssey states it as 10% of the annual Award Amount. Our reading is that rollover does not raise your technology ceiling, and we did not find an official worked example either way. For 2026–27, this is still a future question because TEFA is in its first program year. The first real rollover arrives on July 1, 2027.

Run the numbers so you can see the shape of it:

2027–28 homeschool Award Amount:     $2,000
Rolled over from 2026–27:             $2,000
Wallet balance:                        $4,000
Tech ceiling for planning:              $200   ← 10% of the new year's award

Why we read it that way: the statute ties the limit to the amount transferred that year. Money that rolled over was transferred in a previous year. The rules also define the program year as July 1 through June 30, which reinforces that this is an annual measurement, not a running one.

The odd ones out: 3D printers, hotspots, and reselling

Answer: A few items carry rules of their own. 3D printers are limited to one purchase per year on top of the 10%. Internet hot spots count as technology even though they feel like a monthly utility. And nothing bought with TEFA money can be resold while your child is in the program.

Three quick notes:

3D printers. One purchase per year, and it still has to fit inside your 10%. On a $2,000 award, the full technology ceiling is $200, so check the exact listing price before you plan around one.

Internet hot spots. They're on the list. If your family needs connectivity for school, that comes out of the same pot as the laptop. Worth planning around.

Reselling. Education Code § 29.357(a)(3) requires parents to agree not to sell items bought with program money. TASB asked the Comptroller to extend that across the entire period a child participates, and the Comptroller agreed. So the laptop isn't an asset you flip in June.

Where the official sources disagree

Answer: Four official descriptions of the technology cap exist and they don't fully match. The statute and the state's Families page measure the 10% against money transferred to the account that year. Odyssey measures it against the annual Award Amount. Odyssey also names a narrower group of people who can require the device than the statute does, and neither parent-facing source mentions the physician route.

We're not pointing this out to score a point on anyone. Texas launched a new statewide program fast. Wording drifts when you move that fast.

We're pointing it out because you're the one who has to live with whichever version gets applied to your purchase.

For most families, the official descriptions point to the same planning number: 10% of the Award Amount Odyssey shows for that child. If a standard $10,474 award is reduced to 75%, the ceiling falls by $261.85. Three rules protect you either way:

1. Plan against the smaller number.
2. Keep the paperwork — the written requirement, the listing category, or the prescription.
3. Get anything unusual confirmed in writing before you spend, not after.

What we actually verified

Answer: We read the statute, the Comptroller's adopted rules and the public comment-and-response record for the technology issues on this page, the state's Families page, and Odyssey's current expense and purchase-restriction guidance. We did the arithmetic ourselves and showed it. We did not use other websites as a source for any rule.

What we read ourselves:

What we could not confirm, and won't pretend otherwise:

• Whether tax or shipping gets counted against the technology cap. No published rule found.
• Whether Odyssey allows a split payment for an over-cap item. Asked for during rulemaking, declined.
• Whether Printer Supplies, Educational Applications, Online Learning Program, Online Classes, and Curriculum are formally exempt from the cap. They're separate Marketplace categories and they're not on the restricted list. That's not the same as an official exemption.
• Whether rollover money affects the ceiling. No official worked example found.
• Current Marketplace prices for any item.

What's our opinion, not the state's: anything we labeled "our reading." The current category names and restricted list are official. The plain-English teaching-versus-tool line and the rollover conclusion are our synthesis. We label the unsettled part every time.

How we'd want you to check us: every ceiling number on this page comes from an Award Amount you can see on your own dashboard multiplied by ten percent. If our ceiling math is wrong, you'll catch it in your head. That's on purpose.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Texas TEFA technology spending limit?

It's 10% of the money set aside for your child for the program year. On the standard $10,474 private school award, that's $1,047.40. On a $2,000 homeschool or other-setting award, it's $200. The limit is shared across all covered technology categories.

Can I buy a laptop with Texas TEFA funds?

Yes, through an approved Marketplace listing, if the laptop is required by an approved provider or vendor or prescribed by a doctor for educational use, and if it fits inside your 10% and your current account balance. Laptops are one of the 13 categories Odyssey lists under the technology restriction.

What's the technology limit for homeschool families?

$200 for the year on a $2,000 award. That $200 is shared across every covered technology purchase from July 1 through June 30.

What's the limit for a child with an IEP?

Multiply your actual award by 10%. A child whose Award Amount is $18,650 has a $1,865 ceiling. A $3,000 ceiling only applies if the award is the full $30,000 maximum, which most IEP-based awards are not.

Is the 10% limit separate for each device?

No. Odyssey states that the restriction applies collectively across all listed technology purchases. One pot, not one per item.

Does software count against the technology limit?

"Software Programs" is one of the 13 restricted categories, so a listing in that category counts. Odyssey lists Curriculum, Online Learning Program, Online Classes, and Educational Applications as separate Marketplace categories that do not appear on the current restricted list. Check the category on the actual listing before you buy.

Does a graphing calculator count?

Yes. Calculators are on the 13-category restricted list, even though a graphing calculator can feel more like a school supply than a computer.

Do internet hot spots count?

Yes. Hot spots are on the restricted list even though they feel more like a utility than a device.

Do printer supplies count?

We can't tell you for certain. Printer Supplies is a separate Marketplace category and it isn't named on the restricted list, but we found no published statement exempting it. Ask Odyssey about the specific listing.

Is assistive or physician-prescribed technology exempt from the cap?

No. The statute lets a physician's prescription make a device eligible, but the 10% ceiling still applies. The Comptroller was asked to relax the cap for assistive devices and declined, because the limit is written into the law.

Do rolled-over funds increase my technology limit?

Our reading is no — use the new program year's Award Amount, not the wallet total. Unused funds do roll over while your child remains eligible and continues in the program, but no official worked example has been published. TEFA is in its first year in 2026–27, so the first real rollover arrives July 1, 2027. Ask Odyssey before planning a large purchase around it.

Can I spend my whole annual limit before all the installments arrive?

Not if your balance is lower. A payment cannot exceed the account balance. For a private-school account with an untouched first 25% installment, the annual tech ceiling equals exactly 40% of that installment.

Do tax and shipping count against the cap?

The guidance we reviewed doesn't say. Test the final amount Odyssey assigns to the purchase, leave a small buffer in the calculator, or ask support.

Can I pay the difference with my own card?

There's no published way to do it. The Texas Association of School Boards asked the Comptroller to write a rule allowing it and the Comptroller declined, citing platform limitations. Ask Odyssey before you rely on it.

Can I buy technology outside the Marketplace and get reimbursed?

No. State law bars cash withdrawals and direct reimbursements, and the Comptroller has said there are no reimbursements for purchases made outside the Marketplace. Money you spend on your own card will not come back.

Can I resell a laptop I bought with TEFA funds?

No. Parents agree not to sell items bought with program money, and the adopted rules require that promise during participation in the program.

Does a private school's technology fee use my 10% cap?

The Comptroller agreed that a private school's own technology fee can meet the program's tuition-and-fees definition. That does not turn a laptop you buy yourself into tuition. Check how the school entered the charge in Odyssey.

Does the limit reset each year?

Yes. The rules define the program year as July 1 through June 30, so a new ceiling starts each July 1 based on that year's award.

What if my purchase gets denied?

You can appeal to the Comptroller about allowable expenses, but you must file within 30 calendar days of the notice. The Comptroller's decision is final. Also worth knowing: an approval at checkout is not permanent protection if a payment is later found improper and the recovery rules apply.

Does a green result in your calculator mean my purchase is approved?

No. Green means the numbers you entered fit the published limits. Odyssey still decides eligibility, category, account status, and final approval. We can do your math. We can't do their job.

Sources

Every rule on this page comes from one of these.

• Texas Education Code, Chapter 29, Subchapter J — added by Senate Bill 2, 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025. § 29.359(a)(8) (technology cap), § 29.360(d) and (f) (balance limit; no cash or direct reimbursement), § 29.361 (funding and rollover), § 29.357(a)(3) (no resale), § 29.364(d) (recovery), and § 29.373 (appeals).
• Texas Comptroller adopted rules, 34 TAC §§ 16.401–16.410 — Texas Register, December 12, 2025; effective December 15, 2025. Includes the July 1–June 30 program year, instructional-material and online-course definitions, technology rule, funding rules, appeals, and the public comment-and-response record.
• Official TEFA pages — program home, Families, and Contact Us. Award amounts, approved expenses, funding dates, disability notice, and support contacts.
• Odyssey guidance — eligible educational expenses, purchase restrictions, Marketplace categories, Award Amount dashboard guidance, and funding timeline and installments.
• r/TexasEFA parent discussion — used only for the quoted parent problem and follow-up questions. Never used as a source for a rule.

Last verified: August 8, 2026 · Found an error? Tell us — we publish corrections.

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