How the money fits
Firewheel Christian Academy was listed as a participating school in the state's TEFA finder on October 12, 2026. That means a student with an Education Freedom Account can put the 2026-27 award of $10,474 toward tuition here. The state pays the school directly through Odyssey: a quarter on July 1, another quarter on October 1, and the remaining half on February 1.
Church schools in the Dallas area commonly offer member pricing, sibling discounts and congregation-funded sponsorships, and the state's tuition guidelines keep those discounts in place for TEFA families. A school run by a local church may also qualify for the Edu Fund partner scholarship, which has no income cap.
Check my funding for this school →
“Firewheel Christian Academy partners with families to educate and inspire our students through Christ-centered teaching to THINK critically, LIVE Biblically, LEAD courageously, and SERVE selflessly to impact their world through the power of the gospel.”
The school's description in the TEFA finder
The school's most recent federal Private School Survey response (2021-22) listed 70 K-12 students, 8 full-time-equivalent teachers, a 8.6:1 student-teacher ratio and a 185-day school year.
Programs reported to the state
Discounts reported to TEFA: Sibling Discounts.
Associations (federal survey): Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
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?
After grade 8: nearby schools that continue
Firewheel Christian Academy ends at grade 8. These schools serve grade 9 through 12 and are among the closest of the same tradition:
- Garland Christian Academy: grades K-12, about 3 mi away · in TEFA
- Veritas Academy: grades PK-12, about 4 mi away · in TEFA
- Reach Academy Christian School: grades PK-12, about 5 mi away · in TEFA
- Central Park Christian Academy: grades PK-12, about 5 mi away · in TEFA
Nearby schools with full profiles
- New Century Montessori Academy: Independent & Nonreligious School, grades PK-12, 2.7 mi
- Qalam Collegiate Academy: Independent & Nonreligious School, grades K-12, 2.7 mi · TEFA
- Garland Christian Academy: Christian Day School, grades K-12, 3.1 mi · TEFA
- Veritas Academy: Christian Day School, grades PK-12, 4.2 mi · TEFA
- Mt. Hebron Christian Academy: Christian Day School, grades PK-5, 4.3 mi · TEFA
- Good Shepherd Catholic School: Parish & Catholic School, grades PK-8, 4.4 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garland ISD | 1,021 | $11,411 | $16,941 | $15,833 | $25,939 |
| Richardson ISD | 752 | $11,404 | $16,893 | $15,794 | $25,824 |
| Mesquite ISD | 477 | $11,413 | $16,953 | $15,843 | $25,967 |
| Wylie ISD | 355 | $11,454 | $17,210 | $16,098 | $26,663 |
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 28 K-12 private schools in Richardson, Garland, Mesquite & Rowlett, and 21 of them were in the TEFA finder.