Pre-K without an income test
TEFA pre-K is limited to children who meet a free pre-K criterion. Being the child of an active-duty member of the armed forces is one of them, and so is being the child of a member injured or killed on active duty. A 3- or 4-year-old in a military family can receive the full award at an approved provider.
Residency
The child must live in Texas and be eligible to attend a Texas public school. Families moving in on orders should watch the application window closely, because TEFA doesn't take applications year-round.
On-base districts
Students who live on base are zoned to Fort Sam Houston ISD, Lackland ISD or Randolph Field ISD. Those districts' special-education add-ons are higher than Northside's or North East's. A Lackland ISD resident with a mainstream IEP totals $19,208 for 2026-27.
Leaving mid-year
If a PCS move takes you out of Texas, the account follows the program's rules for leaving. Prepaid tuition goes back to the state, not to the family, so pay as you go if a move is likely.
Where to look
Our West Side & Lackland and Northeast pages list every private school near Lackland and Randolph, and our pre-K page lists every approved provider.
IEP amounts for the on-base and nearby 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lackland ISD | under 30 | $11,820 | $19,208 | $18,630 | $30,000 |
| Randolph Field ISD | under 30 | $11,642 | $18,288 | $17,352 | $29,934 |
| Fort Sam Houston ISD | 30 | $11,540 | $17,651 | $16,714 | $28,199 |
| Northside ISD | 2,271 | $11,424 | $17,026 | $15,904 | $26,142 |
| Judson ISD | 716 | $11,397 | $16,842 | $15,751 | $25,701 |
| Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD | 444 | $11,426 | $17,041 | $15,916 | $26,177 |
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 San Antonio-area districts →
Next step
Take the two-minute funding check. A School Funding Advisor will go through every source your family qualifies for and the dates that apply.