2026 policy pulse

Stay grounded. Stay up to date.

Official references and on-demand source checks, without the policy overload.

These notes are selected references, not automatic alerts. Sources are checked only when you ask. The time of a check does not tell you when a policy takes effect.

Curated reference notes · Use “Check live sources” for fresh excerpts

FLReference note

Platform & provider pathways

One state. Two distinct pathways.

The Oct 15, 2026 provider handbook separates EMA direct payment after service delivery from parent reimbursement. The supplied Step Up education-partner email permits virtual and in-person HEIP services, superseding the handbook online restriction. Business organization, public curriculum and published fees requirements remain. PEP cannot buy digital devices/peripherals; digital curriculum is not automatically prohibited. See page-cited handbook notes below.

Official source

AZReference note

Purchasing & eligibility

ClassWallet is the financial platform.

The supplied ADE handbook is 2025–26, not current-year confirmation. It lists Marketplace, Pay Vendor, debit card and reimbursement; diploma/attestation tutoring routes and disability-specific therapy requirements. The prior-year supplemental-documentation exception ended June 30, 2026. No universal 10% technology cap is established in that source.

Official source

TXReference note

2026 rollout

TEFA opens a new education market.

Odyssey's supplied Oct 5, 2026 impact report states 116,000+ participants, 62% at or below 200% FPL and 18% with documented disabilities. These are reported figures, not live enrollment checks or purchasing rules. Provider eligibility still needs official TEFA guidance.

Official source

Texas TEFA by the numbers

Odyssey TEFA report · data as of Oct 5, 2026

Read the supplied Odyssey report

274,000+

year-one applicants

116,000+

participating students, 2026-27

95,000+

students on the waitlist

65,000+

more interested for 2027-28

Reported participants · Oct 5, 2026

62% of participants are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
18% have a documented disability.
7,300 students receive an average of $5,200 in extra special education funding.

How funds are spent

$270.7M across 975,000+ transactions: 83% private school tuition and fees ($224.5M), 17% marketplace ($46.2M across 865,903 purchases), as reported Oct 5, 2026. Parents approve every transaction.

Inside the Odyssey marketplace

Textbooks & instructional materials: $30.3M
Technology: $8.1M
School uniforms: $3.5M
Tutoring & teaching services: $2.2M
Online courses & programs: $1.0M
All other approved categories: $1.0M

The Oct 5, 2026 report records $2.2M in tutoring spending and a year-two provider-supply priority. This is reported spending, not verified current demand or a forecast.

Spending and marketplace figures · report PDF p. 2

Rules for approval and purchases differ by program, year and type of expense. Before making a purchase or submitting a request, check the program’s current official handbook.