So let's say you apply for Tifa. You locked in your educational setting, you did the hard part. Now comes the part that is actually really exciting to choosing where your child is going to learn. For a lot of Texas families, this is the first time they have ever had the freedom to truly choose their child's school without the decision being made by a zip code. And that is a big deal, but it also means there are real decisions to make, real deadlines to hit, and real mistakes that can cost you your funding if you're not careful. Today we are walking you through exactly how to find tifa participating schools, what to look for when you visit, how to compare your options, and how to make sure your enrollment actually connects to your Tifa account so the money flows the way it should. A fast growing number of parents are starting their homeschooling journey while others have been homeschooling for years. All of these parents are asking one big question, how can I afford to homeschool? We are here to answer that important question once and for all. Hi, I'm Crystal Obby. And I'm Anthony Obby. We've been homeschooling our five kids for 13 years and we funded it. Through our online consulting business that we've been running for over 17 years now, we're combining Crystal's financial coaching expertise with my digital marketing background where I help entrepreneurs launch and sell online. We're here to help fellow homeschooling parents self-fund their homeschool journey and create lifestyle businesses. For financial freedom without a nine to five job, are you ready to start living life on your own terms and make your homeschooling experience a lot more fun? Well then sit back, crank up the volume, and enjoy this episode of Homeschool Money. We want to welcome you to the Homeschool Money Podcast. I'm your host, Anthony Oby. I'm your host, crystal Oby, and this is the next episode of Art a series. Let's get into it But before we talk about how to choose a school, let's make sure everyone understands what the options actually are, because Tifa isn't just for traditional private schools. If you selected private school in your application, your funding is set at $10,474 for that funding level to activate the school your child attends, must be both accredited and registered as a team of participating school. Those are two separate requirements. Accredited means the school meets recognized academic standards. Registered means they signed up with the TFA program and agreed to its rules. If a school is accredited but has not registered with TA, your child cannot receive the $10,474 at that school. This is one of the most important things to verify before you get attached to a particular school. If you selected homeschool or other non-public setting, your funding is $2,000 and you are not choosing a school through the TFA system, that money goes to curriculum. Materials, tutoring therapies, and up to 10% on technology, and you manage it through the Odyssey platform on your own schedule. One thing that surprises a lot of families, TIFA also opens up the door to career and technical education programs. Educational therapies and other specialized services, even for students who are primarily homeschooled. So the $2,000 can be used pretty strategically if you plan it? Well. For today's episode, we're going to focus primarily on families choosing a participating private school, since that's where most of the school selection decisions happen and where the most money is on the line. Your starting point for every school search is the TFA School finder@educationfreedom.texas.gov. This is the official database of schools that are registered and eligible to participate in the program. If a school is not in this tool, your TFA funding cannot be used There. At least not for the full $10,474 amount. Here's what you need to know about using it. Schools are being added on a rolling basis. So if you search today and your preferred school is not there, check back next week. Schools can apply and be added at any time during the process. Do not give up on a school just because it isn't listed yet. If a school you love is not in the finder, call them. Ask if they are registered with tifa or planning to register. A lot of schools are still going through the process. Being an informed parent and asking the right questions can actually move that process forward. Hey, real quick, if you're liking the show, hit follow so you don't miss a single episode and drop a five star rating and a review to let us know that you're loving the content and tell us what topics you'd like us to cover. This will help more people find the show, and please share this episode with a friend, your co-op, or anyone who needs it. They'll be glad you did. Now, back to the show. When you use the school finder, you can search by location. There are a wide range of participating schools in each region covering different faith traditions, academic philosophies, and specialty programs. The finder will show you what's within your reach, once you have a list of schools that are registered with TFA and located near you, you're ready to start the real evaluation process. And that's where a lot of parents aren't sure what to look for. We've got to cover. Choosing a school is one of the most personal decisions a parent can make, but there are some universal questions that every family should be asking regardless of what kind of school they're looking at. Let's walk through them. Start here. Ask the school directly. Are you registered with tfa? Do you have experience with TFA students? How do you handle the enrollment confirmation process with the Odyssey platform? A school that knows these answers and has a clear process is one that has prepared for this. A school that doesn't know what you're talking about needs more time to get ready. Also ask about their application and enrollment process. A selection does not guarantee admission. Schools have their own admissions processes. Their own timelines and sometimes wait lists. Ask them what their tepa enrollment deadlines look like and whether they align with the program Summer confirmation window. Let's talk about academic fit. What is the school's educational philosophy? Is it classical, traditional project-based, faith-based Montessori? Does that approach match how your child learns? Best? Ask about class sizes. Smaller classes often mean more individual attention, which matters a lot for kids who struggle in traditional public school settings. Which matters a lot for kids who struggled in a traditional public school setting. Ask about accreditation specifically, which accrediting body has certified the school. Common ones in Texas include coa, the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission, the Association of Christian Schools International and others. Accreditation Matters for both TFA eligibility and for future academic record recognition. Now let's talk about support services. If your child has a disability, a learning difference, or needs any kind of academic support, this section is critical. Ask whether the school has learning support, staff tutors. Or intervention programs built in. Ask whether they have experience with children who have IEPs, dyslexia, A DHD, or autism A School's honest answer to these questions will tell you a lot about whether your child will truly thrive there. Remember from a previous episode, private schools are not required to provide the same special education services as public schools. So if your child needs specific therapeutic services, make sure you know exactly what the school provides versus what you'll be funding separately through your Tifa account. Now let's take a look at tuition and TFA coverage. This is a practical conversation every family needs to have. Your TFA account provides $10,474. Ask the school what their total annual tuition and fees are. If tuition is less than $10,474, your remaining TFA funds can be used for other eligible expenses like tutoring therapies, curriculum materials, and technology. If tuition is more than $10,474, ask the school about financial aid, payment plans, or scholarship options to cover the gap. and for families with a disability funding amount higher than $10,474. Ask the school how they work with TEFL accounts that carry additional funding. Make sure they understand the process and are set up on the Odyssey platform to receive those payments properly. Hey, friend, quick break. If you're ready to fund your homeschool without relying on a nine to five job, you have to check this out. We're giving you instant access to. Our free class is called Get 30,000 a year to Fund Your Homeschool Without a nine to five job. In just 90 minutes, you'll learn how to create consistent income. Afford a world-class education for your kids and get the lifestyle freedom you deserve, that's gonna give you more time to invest into the people that matter the most, your children. This is the system that changed everything for us, and it's changed everything for hundreds of other families too. Go to homeschool money.com to register and watch the free class on demand and get our newsletter full of tips and support. Don't wait. Your freedom starts right now. Now let's take a look at culture and community. Never underestimate the culture. Question visit the school in person if at all possible. Watch how the teachers interact with students. Ask whether families are involved in school life. Talk to other parents if you can. The academic program matters, but so does whether your child is going to feel welcomed, challenged, and safe every single day. Okay? You found your school, you've been accepted. Now let's make sure the money actually flows correctly, because this is where a few families dropped the ball and it cost them their funding. Here's the enrollment timeline you need to work with. June 1st is the initial deadline for parents to select their school inside the Odyssey platform. June 15th is the initial deadline for the school to confirm your child's enrollment on their end. The final deadline for parents to select a school is July 15th, and the final deadline for schools to confirm is July 31st. Missing these windows can delay or prevent your first round of funding, which is scheduled to hit by July 1st. So here's the sequence. One, apply to your chosen school directly and complete their admissions process. This is completely separate from tifa two. Once you're accepted, log back into the Odyssey platform and select that school. Three. The school will receive a notification through Odyssey to confirm your enrollment. Four. Once both sides confirm your account is linked, and your first round of funding becomes available, the earlier you do this, the smoother it goes. Schools are managing many enrollments at once, especially in year one of the program. When everything is new, give them time to confirm your enrollment rather than waiting until the last week of July. Now, let's talk about some pro tips. Pro tip number one, do not wait to apply to schools. The TFA lottery notification comes in early April. Start researching and visiting schools now. Before you know if you've been selected. If you wait until April to start, you may find that the best schools have filled their spots. Pro tip number two, apply to more than one school. You are not committing to a school by applying to it. Submit applications to your top two or three choices and let the admissions process play out in parallel. This gives you options if your first choice fills up or has a wait list, coach it. Number three, confirm your school's TFA registration status directly with them, not just through the school finder. Schools can apply to join the program at any time, and the finder may not always be updated in real time. A direct conversation with the admissions office is the most reliable confirmation pro. Tip number four, ask the school about their experience with the Odyssey platform. If they're new to it, ask who their designated chief of contact person is. Knowing who to call at the school when a payment or confirmation question comes up will save you hours of frustration later. Pro tip number five, keep records of everything. Save confirmation emails. Note the dates of phone calls, and screenshot your Odyssey account status at each stage. If there's ever a question about your enrollment confirmation. Your documentation is your protection, and here's an important reminder. Selecting a school in the Odyssey platform is separate from applying for admission. You must complete each school's own application process. TFA selection does not give your child a spot at the school. So what if your preferred school isn't registered yet? We wanna spend a minute on this because it's a situation a lot of families are going to find themselves you have a school you love, it's a great fit, but it's not in the teeth of school finder yet. Here's what you do First, call the school and ask whether they are registered or planning to register with Tifa. Some schools are in the process. Some haven't heard enough from families to prioritize it yet. Your call can be the nudge that gets them moving. Second, ask them what they need to know about registering the program website at Education Freedom dot Texas gov has resources for schools. You can point them there. Sometimes a parent who is informed and enthusiastic is exactly the push a school administrator needs to get through the registration process. Third, have a backup plan while you're waiting to see if your preferred school registers. Identify one or two other schools that are already participating and that you could also feel good about. This protects you against the scenario where your preferred school does not get registered in time for the program year. And remember, you can always start the school year in one setting, and the program does allow for some adjustments. What you cannot do is change to a setting that requires more funding after the application window closes. So plan strategically from the beginning. Hey, I hope you're enjoying the show. We'll get right back to the discussion, but I do want to talk high level with you real quick. You see, transforming your finances so you can self-fund your homeschooling journey without a nine to five job takes a roadmap, right? And you may be wondering, where do I even start? Start at step one. Our Homeschool Money Makeover program breaks it down into five practical steps that help any family achieve a financially abundant. Homeschooling lifestyle. Step one, install the abundance Operating system. Most people believe that they need two, nine to five jobs to make it in America the truth. With all the technology and the tools available today, there's never been an easier time to generate six figures. A year in income working just 15 to 20 hours a week than today. When you have a strong why for homeschooling and you know the real costs, you unlock the courage that you need to become a money magnet without a nine to five job. Step two, get crystal clear about what you're gonna do with your first $1,000 that you make outside of your day job. Write down specific homeschool needs that a thousand dollars can cover. Yes, this is a small amount, but if you can learn how to set a target of make your first thousand dollars outside of your nine to five job, that's going to set a fire in your belly and the determination that you need. To make the next a hundred thousand dollars. Step three, find all the money falling through the cracks in your budget with Crystal's. Three financial coaching certifications. Listen, she's gonna help you be able to streamline your budget and free up money without sacrificing your favorite things. You can't build a strong financial future with money falling through your pockets, right? So let's plug up the leaks. Step four. Discover new ways to make money and claim free money available for homeschooling families. We discuss grants scholarships, proven fundraising opportunities that Savvy Homeschoolers are using, and we show you how to use them too. Step five, launch or Scale your Moneymaking Success System to completely replace your nine to five job income. Whether it's a side hustle, a freelance work, or a new business, identify your single most viable opportunity and turn that into $3,000 in income. $5,000, $10,000 a month in income or whatever you need to feel financially abundant. Implementing these five streamlined steps will make you feel more financially empowered than ever before. You'll gain the momentum that you need by step number five when you're making more money. You're going to feel unstoppable financially. Through our marketing consulting business, we've helped literally hundreds of entrepreneurs build online selling machines. That's what we do in our business life and launches, and we share our million dollar automated selling system with you. Inside the Homeschool Money Makeover program. Inside the course, you're gonna get all the video lessons, worksheets, templates, and guides that you need to walk through all five of the steps to transform your finances. And right now, during our special introductory offer period, you'll get bonus gifts plus our lowest enrollment price ever. Making it easy to enroll and make your first thousand dollars back. Fast. Go to homeschool money.com to watch our free class, and then you're gonna get an inside look at the full Homeschool Money Makeover program. Don't wait. Go to homeschool money.com to start the free class and enroll into the full program today. Let's close with your action plan for school selection. These are the things to do right now, even before you know your tifa lottery results. Step one, go to education freedom.texas.gov and use the school finder. Make a list of every TIVA registered school within a reasonable distance of your home. Do this today. Step two, research each school on your list. Visit their websites. Look for their accreditation, their academic philosophy, their support services, and their tuition. Narrow your list to your top two or three. Step three, schedule school visits and start the admissions process at your top choices now. Don't wait for your TFA notifications. In April, the best schools fill up fast. Step four, have the T TFA conversation with each school directly. Ask if they are registered. Ask who handles their TFA enrollment. And ask about their timeline for confirming enrollment through Odyssey. Step five. Once you receive your Tepa notification in April, log into Odyssey promptly and select your school. Don't sit on that step. The earlier you confirm the earlier your funding is secure. In the next episode, we're going to cover what happens after you get approved. How to manage your account and what mistakes can get your account suspended, and how to make this funding work for your family year after year. Be sure to check the show notes of this episode for details and important contact information. We'll see you in the next episode. If you like today's episode, make sure you tap the follow button so you never miss a thing, and if it help you share it with a friend or your homeschool group sharing is caring. Do you love free stuff? Like me? Sign up and watch our free games class called Get 30,000 a year to Find Your Homeschooling. With our nine to five job, when you sign up, you'll gain instant access to a class and you'll get our weekly newsletter. For tips and strategies to make your homeschooling journey affordable, go to homeschool money.com and register right now, ready to get your homeschool money. Head over to homeschool money.com to enroll in the full Homeschool Money Makeover course. You'll get the tools, templates, and step by step help to find your first $1,000 fast. And create 30,000 or much more every year. Each module of this program is designed to transform your finances and help you experience financial abundance, so you have the flexibility and lifestyle freedom to homeschool your children with a nine to five job and without sacrificing. And right now we have an amazing limited time offer that gives you huge savings and bonus gifts you're going to love. Go to homeschool may.com to enroll today, and don't forget to give us some love with the five star rating and review. It'll help more people find ourselves. Have a great day. Bye.