How the money fits
Castle Hills Montessori was not in the state's TEFA finder when we checked on October 12, 2026, so an Education Freedom Account can't be used for tuition here right now. To join, a school must be accredited by a TEPSAC-recognized body or TEA, have operated for at least two school years, and give students in grades 3-12 a nationally norm-referenced test each year. Until then, families can look at the school's own aid, the 2027 federal scholarship credit, or a participating school nearby.
This school also enrolls pre-K students. TEFA funds a 3- or 4-year-old at the full award only if the child meets a free pre-K criterion, for example free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, limited English, foster care history, or a parent who teaches in a Texas public school. From kindergarten on, any eligible child can be funded.
An independent school sets its own aid policy. It may factor a TEFA award into a need-based aid decision, but it can't charge a TEFA family a different tuition from everyone else.
Check my funding for this school →
The school's most recent federal Private School Survey response (2023-24) listed 40 K-12 students, 17 full-time-equivalent teachers, a 2.3:1 student-teacher ratio and a 200-day school year.
Associations (federal survey): Association Montessori International.
What to ask the school
- Will you be in TEFA for 2027-28, and how do you handle a family that's awarded after the school year starts?
- Which of your fees (registration, books, technology, uniforms, lunch) can be billed to the account?
- What need-based aid, sibling rate or church or parish pricing applies to the balance?
- Do you serve students with an IEP or a learning difference, and what support is included in tuition?
- Are you an approved TEFA pre-K provider, and do you take child care assistance for after-care?
After grade 3: nearby schools that continue
Castle Hills Montessori ends at grade 3. These schools serve grade 4 through 12 and are among the closest:
- Precision Preparatory: grades 3-12, about 0 mi away · in TEFA
- ASU Prep Global Academy: grades K-12, about 3 mi away · in TEFA
- Icomprehend Academy: grades K-12, about 3 mi away
- The St. Anthony School: grades 3-12, about 4 mi away · in TEFA
Nearby schools with full profiles
- Precision Preparatory: Independent & Nonreligious School, grades 3-12, 0.0 mi · TEFA
- ASU Prep Global Academy: Independent & Nonreligious School, grades K-12, 2.6 mi · TEFA
- Icomprehend Academy: Independent & Nonreligious School, grades K-12, 2.7 mi
- King Arthur Montessori Academy: Independent & Nonreligious School, grades PK-1, 2.7 mi
- Oak Crest Private School: Independent & Nonreligious School, grades PK-8, 3.6 mi · TEFA
- The St. Anthony School: Independent & Nonreligious School, grades 3-12, 3.8 mi · TEFA
IEP funding for 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irving ISD | 608 | $11,413 | $16,955 | $15,845 | $25,971 |
| Coppell ISD | 98 | $11,457 | $17,255 | $16,093 | $26,688 |
| Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD | 360 | $11,413 | $16,955 | $15,845 | $25,972 |
| Grand Prairie ISD | 296 | $11,393 | $16,812 | $15,726 | $25,630 |
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 Dallas-area districts →
We list 27 K-12 private schools in Irving, Coppell, Carrollton & Grand Prairie, and 18 of them were in the TEFA finder.