Prenda Weekly: Texas TEFA Approval & Microschool Business Planning

Overview

Weekly Prenda open office hours call where Brittany Munk announced that Prenda is now fully approved as a Texas TEFA vendor. The call covered special education funding (up to $30k/student for disabilities), microschool business planning, church partnership strategies, and the urgency of parents applying for TEFA before the February-March deadline. Gary exchanged contact info with Sasha Devore (Texas special ed expert) and Sawyanna Robinson (Florida church partnership pioneer) for follow-up collaboration.

Key Announcements

Texas TEFA Full Approval

• Prenda officially approved: "We're officially all approved now. So we got the last final step."
• Scholarship opening next month (February 2026)
• Prenda will be on vendor list by April or May
• Since holiday break, Prenda has received 400 new potential microschools in Texas alone
• Florida and Arizona also seeing high interest

Application Timeline

• Texas deadline: February to March window (March 17 mentioned)
• Texas window longer than Florida's historically small window
• No penalty for applying and not using scholarship
• Cannot switch after deadline (e.g., from homeschool to private school option)
• Don't have to pick specific school when applying—that happens April/May

Special Education Funding

TEFA Amounts

• Base scholarship: ~$10,000/student
• Students with disabilities: Up to $30,000/student depending on IEP
• Same structure exists in Arizona and Florida (with "Unique Ability" scholarship)

Special Education Discussion (Sasha Devore)

Sasha, a social behavior therapist from Texas, shared her vision for a special education-focused microschool:

• Already has many potential candidates interested
• Wants to limit to 6-8 students max for quality
• Currently her school gives her 15 students which dilutes effectiveness
• Weighing financial viability against class size philosophy

Key Quote from Sasha:

"I kinda don't really want more than six eight students because I've learned over the years. Anything over that, these kids aren't getting the necessary time and then we might as well be public school."

Prenda's Special Education Support

• Sophia shared that her son has autism and used Prenda successfully
• Mastery-based programs allow students to work at their own pace without stigma
• Many Prenda schools host neurodivergent students (ADHD, autism)
• Guides can add specialty services (speech therapy, etc.) and adjust guide fee accordingly

Key Quote from Sophia:

"He was behind. And I think that that is sometimes some feels like an insecurity when you're, like, behind what people should be. And those years, he was able to work at his own pace... He never had to tell the kid next to him what reading level he was at."

Microschool Business Planning

Prenda Fee Structure

• Prenda platform fee: $2,199/student/year
• Average Texas guide fee: ~$7,500/student
• Average Florida guide fee: ~$5,000/student
• Total tuition = Prenda fee + Guide fee

Financial Planning Approach

Brittany recommended working backwards:

1. Determine income needed to make the leap worthwhile
2. Decide how many students you're willing to take
3. Calculate required guide fee
4. Example: $60,000 needed ÷ 12 students = $5,000 guide fee

Key Quote from Brittany:

"I usually encourage people to do is, like, pick a really simple number... oh, I need to make $60,000 for this example, and I am willing to take 12 students. Okay. So then I need to bill $5,000 for my guide fee."

Considerations

• Health insurance costs when self-employed
• Technology (Chromebooks) not included—can charge families or include in guide fee
• Supplies can be minimal (Sofia learned to ask for less after year one)
• Location flexibility: homes, churches, community centers (one person renting space at a tennis club)

Church Partnership Blueprint (Sawyanna Robinson)

Sawyanna from Florida shared her successful church partnership model:

How She Did It

1. Met with pastor and discussed income potential
2. Pastor got excited about the revenue opportunity
3. Operating as separate entity but partnered with church
4. Recruiting other church members as guides
5. Friends helping promote once they understand the model

Key Quote from Sawyanna:

"What I did was I met with the pastor. And we discussed the income. How much it would bring in. He's on board about it... once she saw the income part of it. Sign me up. Let's get it going."

Gary's Interest

Gary specifically asked to connect separately to learn the church partnership approach:

"Can we connect separately? Because I would love to hear how you did what you did. And also see how I can be helpful as well."

Gary's Church Outreach Strategy

Gary raised the question of how to advise church leaders about TEFA:

The Pitch to Churches

• Encourage parents to apply for TEFA even if not 100% sure about private school
• No penalty for applying and not using it
• Cannot apply after deadline closes
• If church wants revenue from microschool, more families with TEFA = larger potential student pool

Gary's framing:

"How I would encourage church leaders that are pro school choice and may even want a congregation person to start a school... the more urgent timeline is parents applying. For this so that if it's part of your calculation as a school founder to take in families that wouldn't otherwise be able to spend money on a private school without the TEFA funds, you should be telling every parent that you know to sign up."

Brittany's Suggested Language

"Now Texas has a scholarship. This is a huge opportunity for us to provide a school here as well, which will also align with the values. And the scholarship will cover the cost... The window is very small. Encourage families and parents to apply. If they change their minds, that's okay. They're not stuck with using this, but at least you have options."

Pre-K Rules

Texas

• Students must turn 5 by January of the school year to qualify
• Some additional stipulations for pre-K TEFA (low income, military, non-English speakers)
• Prenda programs focused more on K-8 but can accommodate ready pre-K students

Florida

• Same rule: must turn 5 by January of school year

Other Updates

Prendicon Events

• Arizona and Florida Prendicon events this year
• Texas Prendicon planned for next year
• Many Texas folks attending Arizona event

Chromebook/Technology

• Prenda no longer provides Chromebooks
• Texas TEFA allows technology purchases with scholarship funds
• Florida PEP does not allow; Unique Ability does
• Guides can purchase and include in fee, or have families provide their own

Action Items

1. Gary to connect with Sasha Devore - Special education expertise for Red Jay Schools vision
2. Gary to connect with Sawyanna Robinson - Learn church partnership playbook
3. Brittany to send talking points email - Texas TEFA parent resources and PDFs
4. All to encourage parents to apply - February-March deadline is short window
5. Prenda team to finalize step-by-step PDF - Screenshots of application process

Key Quotes

Brittany on Texas approval:

"We're officially all approved now. So we got the last final step. And with a scholarship opening next month, we're just encouraging micro schools to get set up."

Brittany on demand:

"Since we've come back, we have 400 new potential micro schools in Texas alone."

Brittany on churches:

"Churches are loving this idea right now."

Sophia on special needs funding:

"Students that have a disability receive more money up to $30,000 if they have an IEP."

Gary on church strategy:

"It's in the interest of certainly a church that wants to get revenue share of a church-based microschool to promote the heck out of it."

Brittany on no downside to applying:

"There's really no reason not to apply. You don't have to use the money. You can choose to do whatever you want. But you can't make that choice if you don't apply."