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Email Draft: Prenda TEFA Listing & Sequencing Strategy

To: Kelly Smith From: Gary Sheng Date: January 2, 2026 Subject: Quick follow-up: TEFA listings and parent application sequencing

Hi Kelly,

Hope you're having a great start to the New Year.

Following up on your last note about the TEFA listings—did you hear back from the administrators on getting the Prenda microschools listed and approved this week?

I have a couple people who are exploring standing up their own Prenda powered microschools in Austin, and I’m trying to nail down the exact sequencing for parents as the February 4th application window approaches.

A few specific questions I’m wrestling with:

  1. Specific School Registration: Do new Prenda schools need to be fully registered/incorporated and listed in the TEFA system before the March 17th parent application deadline? Or can parents apply for TEFA funds generally and then "assign" them to a specific Prenda-verified school later in the spring?
  2. Timing for New Launches: If a school isn't officially incorporated until after the mid-March deadline, what is the process for them to be eligible for those families' TEFA funds for the Fall 2026 semester?
  3. Parent Selection Process: For parents who know they want a "Prenda-style" education but haven't picked a specific local microschool yet (or if the school they want is still being stood up), what should they put on their application between Feb 4 and March 17 to ensure their funding is secured?

I want to make sure I'm giving the right guidance to the leaders I'm working with so they don't miss this first-year window.

Best,

Gary