How the money fits
First Christian Day School 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.
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 →
The school's most recent federal Private School Survey response (2023-24) listed 64 K-12 students, 8 full-time-equivalent teachers, a 7.3:1 student-teacher ratio and a 180-day school year.
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 8: nearby schools that continue
First Christian Day School ends at grade 8. These schools serve grade 9 through 12 and are among the closest of the same tradition:
- Waxahachie Preparatory Academy: grades K-12, about 0 mi away · in TEFA
- Ovilla Christian School: grades PK-12, about 9 mi away · in TEFA
- Turning Point Christian Academy: grades 6-12, about 12 mi away
- Trinity Christian Preschool: grades PK-12, about 14 mi away · in TEFA
Nearby schools with full profiles
- Waxahachie Preparatory Academy: Christian Day School, grades K-12, 0.2 mi · TEFA
- St. Joseph Catholic School: Parish & Catholic School, grades PK-8, 1.2 mi
- Ovilla Christian School: Christian Day School, grades PK-12, 9.0 mi · TEFA
- Christa Mcauliffe Academy School of Arts and Sciences (CMASAS): Independent & Nonreligious School, grades K-12, 10.8 mi · TEFA
- DeSoto Private School & Day Care Center: Independent & Nonreligious School, grades PK-6, 12.7 mi · TEFA
- Ferris Christian Academy: Christian Day School, grades PK-5, 13.1 mi
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeSoto ISD | 263 | $11,437 | $17,078 | $16,017 | $26,401 |
| Duncanville ISD | 248 | $11,390 | $16,792 | $15,710 | $25,583 |
| Cedar Hill ISD | 186 | $11,408 | $16,915 | $15,822 | $25,896 |
| Lancaster ISD | 142 | $11,381 | $16,734 | $15,662 | $25,443 |
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 19 K-12 private schools in Best Southwest & Ellis County, and 14 of them were in the TEFA finder.