Using Texas ESA Funds Strategically: How Summer Learning Can Strengthen Your Child’s School Year

November 2025

As Texas families prepare for the upcoming Texas Education Freedom Accounts (ESA) rollout, many parents are focused on one big question:
where will my child attend school using ESA funds?

That is an important decision. But it is not the only one that matters.

One of the most overlooked benefits of Education Freedom Accounts is the opportunity to use funding not just for schooling,
but for targeted enrichment that supports a child’s learning over the summer and throughout the year.

For many families, summer programs are not just childcare or fun experiences. They are opportunities to close learning gaps,
build confidence, and prepare children for stronger performance when the next school year begins.

ESA Is Not Just About Where Your Child Goes to School

Texas ESA allows families to use education dollars outside of traditional public school settings. These funds may be used for:

• Private school or microschool tuition
• Curriculum and instructional materials
• Tutoring and academic support
• Educational services for students with special needs
• Approved enrichment and learning programs

While tuition is often the first expense families think about, enrichment plays an equally important role in helping students
succeed in school.

Summer camps, supplemental programs, and specialized learning labs are some of the most effective ways to help students build skills
without the pressure of grades and testing.

Why Summer Learning Matters More Than Most Families Realize

Research has long shown that students experience learning loss during extended breaks from structured academics.
This is sometimes called the “summer slide.”

Children who engage in meaningful learning during the summer return to school more confident, more capable,
and better prepared for new material.

The strongest summer programs are not worksheets and drills.
They involve hands-on work, problem solving, teamwork, creativity, and real-world application.

When children are engaged in building, designing, experimenting, and creating, they are developing skills that directly impact:

• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Executive functioning
• Communication
• Confidence and independence

These are the skills that ultimately lead to success in school, regardless of curriculum or learning model.

How ESA Can Help Families Invest in More Than Just Tuition

Texas ESA creates an opportunity for families to be intentional with education dollars.

Instead of spending every available dollar on tuition and scrambling to afford enrichment later,
families can begin planning a year-round learning strategy.

This may include:

• A primary school or microschool for daily learning
• Targeted tutoring where needed
• Skill-based summer programs
• Enrichment in areas like science, technology, arts, and entrepreneurship

Not every child needs the same mix. ESA simply gives families the freedom to build a customized education plan that fits their child.

Planning Early Creates Better Outcomes

Families who wait until the last minute to think about schooling and summer learning often end up with limited choices.

As ESA becomes available, demand for quality programs will increase.
Schools and enrichment providers will fill faster.

The best approach is to:

1. Identify your child’s strongest interests and greatest needs.
2. Explore schools and programs that align with those needs.
3. Plan both the school year and the summer as part of one learning strategy.
4. Budget ESA funds intentionally across the full year.

Summer should not be a pause button on learning.
Done well, it becomes a launchpad for the next school year.

Our Approach at ESTEAM EDU

At ESTEAM EDU, we intentionally design programs that strengthen a child’s school-year success.

Our summer and enrichment programs do not mimic traditional classrooms.
Instead, students engage in real-world projects that develop transferable skills that show up in the classroom later:

• Thinking independently
• Working through challenges
• Building confidence
• Expressing ideas
• Learning through experience rather than memorization

Whether families enroll their child in a microschool, private school, homeschool, or a traditional setting,
enrichment remains one of the most impactful investments they can make.

ESA gives families more choice.
The responsibility is to use that choice wisely.

Summer learning is not an extra.
It is part of the strategy.