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Starting a Church Microschool in Texas

A practical guide for pastors and church leaders considering a faith-based microschool ministry.

Last updated: December 26, 2025

The Moment We're In​

Texas is experiencing a convergence of policy shifts, cultural demand, and technological capability that makes church-based microschools more viable than ever.

The Policy Window​

Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) launches for the 2026-2027 school year:

  • Up to $10,800 per student for those in accredited private schools (85% of statewide funding per student)
  • Up to $30,000 for students with disabilities (with IEP)
  • $1 billion allocated for the first year (~90,000 scholarships available)
  • Family applications open February 4, 2026
  • Program managed by Odyssey (program manager) under oversight of Texas Comptroller

See full policy details →

Federal Tax Credit (starting January 2027):

  • Donors receive a dollar-for-dollar $1,700 tax credit for contributions to scholarship organizations
  • No aggregate cap on total credits
  • Texas has opted in

The Crisis​

The demand side is clear:

  • Texas ranked 38-40th in education for decades
  • Teachers describe the system as unsustainable
  • Parents are actively seeking alternatives
  • Homeschool and private school enrollment has surged post-COVID

The Opportunity​

Demand is coming. Supply isn't ready.

Churches that move now position themselves to serve families who have been waiting for an option that aligns with their values. First movers will shape what faith-based education looks like in Texas for the next generation.

Why Churches Are Uniquely Positioned​

Churches solve the three hardest problems for microschool viability:

1. Free Facilities (If You Own Your Space)​

Most churches have classrooms, fellowship halls, and gathering spaces that sit empty Monday through Friday. A single classroom can serve as a microschool pod.

If your church owns its building: no rent, no build-out, no lease negotiations. Just a decision from church leadership to repurpose existing space.

If your church rents from an external facility, you'll need to factor in those costs and any restrictions from your landlord. The economics still work, but the "free facilities" advantage doesn't apply.

2. Built-In Trust​

Parents already trust their pastor. They've been in community with church members for years. When a beloved elder or longtime member becomes a "Guide" for their children, there's no cold-start problem.

Compare this to a stranger advertising a microschool on Facebook. The trust barrier is enormous. Churches have already cleared it.

3. Congregation as Customer Base​

You don't need to market to find your first 10 families. They're already in your pews on Sunday. Many have been praying for an alternative to their local school situation.

4. Pastoral Covering​

Faith-based education works best under spiritual authority. A microschool operating as a church ministry has pastoral accountability, prayer covering, and alignment with the congregation's values.

This is church-based education, not education with chapel tacked on.

5. Guide Candidates Are Already There​

The ideal Guide isn't necessarily a credentialed teacher. It's someone beloved by the congregation who could give one announcement at church and have 10 families sign up.

Many churches already have this person. They just haven't thought of them as a potential educator.

What a Church Microschool Actually Looks Like​

This is not a traditional school compressed into a smaller building. The model is fundamentally different.

Small Pods​

5-10 students per Guide. Mixed ages (K-8 typically). Students work at their own pace, not arbitrary grade levels.

Shorter Days​

4-6 hours instead of 8. Proven adaptive software handles core academic instruction. Humans handle formation, support, and specialized teaching.

Software-Powered Academics​

Adaptive learning platforms (like Prenda) personalize math, reading, and language arts for each student. A 2nd grader and an 8th grader can sit at the same table working at different levels.

The software delivers self-paced curriculum, tracks progress, and provides immediate feedback. This doesn't mean the Guide is passive. The Guide keeps students on track, intervenes when someone is stuck, and provides the human support that makes the system work.

For core academics (math, reading, writing), the Guide is a coach and facilitator rather than a lecturer. But Guides absolutely can teach directly—especially for subjects outside the platform's scope like theology, music, art, or specialized skills. If your Guide is excellent at teaching something, use that gift.

Time for What Matters​

With academics handled efficiently, the schedule opens up for:

  • Spiritual formation: Chapel, prayer, Scripture, worship
  • Character development: Social-emotional learning grounded in faith
  • Real-world skills: Projects, entrepreneurship, community service
  • Play and rest: Kids need unstructured time too

Guides Are Facilitators (But Can Also Teach)​

For core academics, Guides are facilitators rather than traditional lecturers. The platform handles curriculum delivery and assessment. Guides don't need to write lesson plans for math or reading—the software does that.

But Guides can absolutely teach directly when it makes sense:

  • Leading Bible study and theology discussions
  • Teaching music, art, or other enrichment
  • Sharing professional expertise (a retired engineer teaching basic physics, etc.)
  • Running project-based learning activities

Daily Guide responsibilities:

  • Create a safe, encouraging environment
  • Help students set and track goals
  • Intervene when someone is stuck
  • Lead group discussions and activities
  • Integrate faith into every part of the day

Guides can be traditional teachers. Former teachers often make excellent Guides, and their experience is valuable. But traditional credentials aren't required. What matters is character, faith, and the ability to build trust with kids and parents.

Platform Options​

You don't have to build everything from scratch. Platforms exist that provide the infrastructure so you can focus on relationships and formation.

See platform comparison →

Prenda (Our Current Recommendation for Fall 2026 Launch)​

See full Prenda profile →

Prenda is a turnkey microschool platform that provides:

  • Curriculum and adaptive learning tools
  • Software for tracking progress
  • Liability insurance
  • Background checks for Guides
  • Invoicing and payment processing (including TEFA scholarship funds)
  • Training and support

What Prenda does NOT provide:

  • The physical space (that's you)
  • The Guide (that's your beloved church member)
  • Faith integration (that's your autonomy)

Texas TEFA eligibility: Prenda's 2+ years of operation qualifies new microschools under the umbrella provision. Prenda is in the process of becoming an approved private school listed with Odyssey. Expected on the Texas vendor list by end of December 2025.

Platform fee: $2,199 per student per year for state scholarship students

Billing: Prenda invoices students quarterly. Guides are paid quarterly after each student's invoice is paid in full.

No contract: Guides can leave anytime and operate independently

Other Platforms​

Important TEFA Consideration: If you need to access TEFA funds for Fall 2026, most other platforms require 2+ years of operating history and independent accreditation. See the platform comparison guide for details on Alpha Schools and KaiPod.

We're continuing to research alternatives. Prenda is currently the only platform we've found that provides immediate TEFA eligibility for new Texas microschools.

The Ideal Church Microschool Guide​

Finding the right Guide is the most important decision you'll make. Here's what to look for:

Must-Haves​

Beloved in the congregation. The "one announcement test": could they stand up on Sunday and have 10 families interested? If not, trust hasn't been established yet.

Faith maturity. Can integrate faith naturally, not performatively. Comfortable praying with kids, discussing Scripture, handling spiritual questions from children.

Character over credentials. Integrity, patience, genuine love for children. A credentialed teacher with poor character is worse than an uncredentialed person with excellent character.

Availability. Can commit to school hours (roughly 8am-2pm) consistently. This often means stay-at-home parents, retirees, or people with flexible work situations.

Teachability. Willing to learn the platform, receive training, take feedback. Doesn't assume they already know everything about education.

Stability. Likely to stay for multiple years. Kids need consistency. A Guide who leaves after 6 months creates chaos for families.

Strong Pluses​

Subject matter expertise. Maybe they're excellent at teaching theology, music, art, coding, or a trade. They can teach directly in areas the software doesn't cover.

Former teacher experience. They've seen what works and what doesn't. But this isn't required, and sometimes former teachers struggle to let go of traditional methods.

Parent of school-age children. Skin in the game. Their own kids are in the pod.

Administrative capacity. Some comfort with technology, communication, scheduling. The platform handles a lot, but not everything.

Watch-Outs​

  • Control issues - Someone who needs to be the expert, can't let kids struggle productively, can't let the software do its job
  • Reputation concerns - Even minor issues get amplified when you're educating someone's children
  • Theological misalignment - If they're teaching theology, it needs to match the church's convictions
  • Burnout risk - Someone already overcommitted who's adding this on top

What Makes Church Guides Different​

Church microschool Guides are different from generic microschool Guides:

  • Faith integration is expected, not optional
  • They represent the church to families
  • Pastoral accountability matters (they're under the pastor's authority)
  • Their reputation affects the church's reputation
  • The congregation is the accountability mechanism

No Two Church Schools Are the Same​

Your church has a unique identity, and your school should reflect it.

A church led by a gospel artist might emphasize music and worship arts. A church with strong STEM professionals might offer coding and engineering projects. A church with deep counseling ministry might excel at serving kids with learning differences.

Example: Whitestone Church in Austin, led by Grammy-winning artist Tauren Wells, meets at the Crossover facility which has built-in sports facilities. A school there could emphasize both music (given Tauren's background) and athletics (given the facility). The church's existing strengths and infrastructure become the school's distinctive offering.

The platform handles the universal basics (math, reading, writing). Your church provides what makes it unique. Lean into your congregation's gifts and your facility's advantages.

Financial Reality​

Here's honest budget thinking for a church microschool. These are rough numbers based on one exploration in San Antonio.

Pricing Strategy: Set Tuition Higher Than You Think​

Counter-intuitive advice: consider setting tuition higher than your first instinct.

Why this works:

  • Families who can afford it will pay it anyway
  • Higher base tuition creates capacity for scholarships
  • You can discount down, but you can't easily raise prices later
  • It signals quality and commitment

Example: Instead of $10,000 (TEFA-only), set tuition at $15,000:

  • Families who can afford $5,000 co-pay will pay it
  • Families who can't afford co-pay get partial or full scholarships
  • You have $5,000/student of flexibility to work with

This is more sustainable than setting prices low and running out of money to help families who genuinely need it.

Revenue Per Pod​

SourceAmount
TEFA scholarship~$10,800/student
Parent co-pay (optional)$0 - $5,000/student
Total tuition$10,800 - $15,800/student

For a pod of 10 students at $12,800 average tuition: $128,000 gross revenue

Costs Per Pod​

ExpenseAmount
Platform fee (Prenda)$2,199/student = $21,990
Guide compensation$40,000 - $60,000
Materials and supplies$2,000 - $5,000
Total costs~$64,000 - $87,000

Net Per Pod​

A single pod could generate $41,000 - $64,000 surplus after Guide compensation and platform fees.

This can fund:

  • Church operating expenses
  • Scholarships for families who can't afford co-pay
  • Expansion to additional pods
  • Principal/coordinator role as you scale

Caution: Payment Delays​

State scholarship payments don't arrive on day one. Build a 2-month buffer so you never miss payroll waiting on the state.

Scaling Math​

PodsStudentsGross RevenueApprox. Surplus
110$128,000$41-64K
330$384,000$123-192K
880$1,024,000$328-512K

At 8 pods, you can afford a full-time principal/coordinator, multiple Guides, and still generate surplus for the church.

Questions to Ask Before Starting​

Before committing, work through these honestly with your leadership team:

Space​

  • Do we have a classroom or meeting room available during school hours (roughly 8am-2pm)?
  • Is it suitable for 5-10 children to learn, play, and eat?
  • Are there safety considerations (pools, busy roads, pets)?

People​

  • Do we have 1-2 beloved members who could serve as Guides?
  • Could that person give one announcement at church and have 10 families interested?
  • Are they willing to go through background checks and training?
  • What happens if the Guide needs to step away?

Families​

  • Do we have at least 10 families with children K-8 who would enroll?
  • Are they committed to this model (not just "trying it out")?
  • Can they handle co-pay if we charge above TEFA amount?
  • Are they aligned with our faith integration approach?

Leadership​

  • Is our pastoral team aligned on integrating faith into education?
  • Are we prepared for the administrative responsibility?
  • Who will handle parent communication, enrollment, etc.?
  • What's our backup plan if this doesn't work?

Finances​

  • Can we float 2-3 months of expenses before state payments arrive?
  • Are we comfortable with the financial risk of Year 1?
  • Do we have donors who might seed the launch?

Example: One Church's Exploration​

This is a real exploration happening in San Antonio. Sharing it to make the concepts concrete.

The Vision​

A K-8 school where:

  • Every element is designed for spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation
  • Students are prepared for heaven and to lead in an AI-transformed world
  • Faith is woven through everything, not siloed into "Bible class"

The Model​

Morning (2 hours): Software-powered core academics via Prenda Midday (1-2 hours): Chapel, Scripture, character formation, prayer Afternoon (2-3 hours): Projects, real-world skills, applied technology, service

The Team​

  • Principal: 30+ years transforming at-risk youth, masters in educational leadership, licensed counselor
  • Fractional CTO: Tech background, community building experience, AI fluency
  • Fractional Content Lead: Storytelling is key—documenting the journey, sharing what's working, building community awareness
  • Guides: One Guide per pod (8 Guides total for 8 pods)

The Target​

  • 8 pods across 3 church partners
  • ~120 students total
  • Distributed model from day one (not one big campus)

The Numbers​

  • ~$550K needed for pre-launch runway (salaries, training, buffer)
  • Self-sustaining after July 2026 (~$114K annual surplus at target enrollment)
  • Combination of major donors, crowdfunding, and church partnerships

The Timeline​

  • Now: Fundraising, church partnership conversations
  • February 4, 2026: Family applications for TEFA open
  • Summer 2026: Guide training intensive
  • Fall 2026: Launch

The Honest Challenges​

  • Raising pre-launch capital before any revenue
  • Finding and training the right Guides
  • Proving the model works before expanding
  • Managing multiple church partner relationships

Is This Right for Your Church?​

Not every church should start a microschool. Here's how to discern:

Signs It Might Be Right​

  • You have young families actively looking for educational alternatives
  • There's an educational crisis in your local community
  • You have 1-2 obvious Guide candidates already in your congregation
  • Your leadership is aligned on faith-integrated education
  • You have (or can raise) the capital for a 2-3 month runway

Signs to Wait​

  • No obvious Guide candidate
  • Limited families with school-age children
  • Leadership disagreement on the approach
  • No space available during school hours
  • Financial instability in the church

The Invitation​

If you're exploring this and want to connect with others doing the same, reach out. This is new territory. We're all learning together.

Sources​

This guide reflects one person's research and exploration. It is not legal, financial, or professional advice. Verify all details with appropriate professionals before making decisions.