TL;DR: Under TDOE's 2026-27 handbooks, both the Education Freedom Scholarship and the MSCS-zone ESA can buy a laptop and a tablet for schoolwork, but each kind of device only once every three calendar years. EFS families must have tuition and required fees covered first. Orders go through the program Marketplace, which stops taking technology and uniform orders April 30, 2027.
Can EFS or the ESA pay for a laptop for a Memphis student?
Yes, within limits. The 2026-27 EFS Family Handbook, dated August 2026, allows educational technology bought at or below fair market value through the Marketplace, and it now spells out the frequency: a laptop and a tablet, each type no more than once every three calendar years. Its own example: a laptop bought in October 2026 means no EFS-funded laptop until October 2029, though a tablet could still be bought in between.
The ESA's 2026-27 Family and Schools Handbook uses the same three-year language for MSCS-zone students. That is a change from the 2025-26 ESA handbook, which said only "one device per student each school year."
What has to happen before an EFS family can buy a device?
Tuition and required fees come first. The EFS handbook lists technology among the uses allowed "after required tuition and fees are covered," so a family whose school costs more than $7,530 will usually have nothing left for a device. Families at lower-cost schools, where tuition is under the award, are the ones most likely to use this rule.
Purchases must go through the Marketplace, and families must click Confirm Receipt in the portal when a technology or uniform order arrives. Internet service and stand-alone software are not allowed, although software bundled into an approved purchase is.
| Item | EFS 2026-27 | ESA 2026-27 (MSCS zone) | IEA 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laptop | Once every 3 calendar years, after tuition and fees | Once every 3 calendar years | Pre-approval; same kind of item once every 2 calendar years |
| Tablet | Once every 3 calendar years | Once every 3 calendar years | Pre-approval required |
| Uniforms | At the enrolled school, via the Marketplace | When required by a participating school | Check the handbook |
| Internet service | No | No | No |
| Food, field trips, after-care | No | No | Not standard uses |
How is the IEA different for devices?
The IEA, for students with a covered IEP, treats every powered item as a device that needs written pre-approval before purchase: laptops, tablets, printers, headphones and even electronic pens. After a purchase, the same or a similar item cannot be bought again with IEA money until two calendar years have passed. Devices must help the student reach instruction, or be needed for communication or physical access because of the disability.
Marketplace orders vs school-issued devices: which makes sense?
Some Memphis schools already hand out devices; St. Benedict at Auburndale, for example, says laptops are distributed after families finish FACTS enrollment. If your school issues one, buying a second with program money may waste a three-year slot. If the school does not, a Marketplace laptop can be a good use of money left after tuition.
When can Memphis families order from the Marketplace in 2026-27?
The windows differ by program. TDOE's ESA timeline shows the ESA Marketplace opening for uniforms and technology on August 17, 2026. The EFS timeline projected its Marketplace launch for October 19, 2026, but only for students with no pending tuition, which again reflects the tuition-first rule.
Both close for products, meaning technology and uniforms, at 4 p.m. Central on April 30, 2027. The EFS Marketplace stays open for remaining services until June 25, 2027, which is also the last day for school payments that include June summer programs. After an order arrives, the family must open Marketplace Orders in the portal and click Confirm Receipt; skipping that step can hold up the record.
Because each device type is limited to one purchase in three calendar years, timing a laptop for the start of middle school or high school can stretch it further. A family that buys a laptop in kindergarten will be able to replace it with program money in the fall of third grade at the earliest.
What these funds are not for
They are not a general household budget. Food, field trips, consumable supplies, extracurricular fees, before- and after-care and summer camps are all excluded, and EFS money returns to the state when a child leaves the program. Program rules can change each year, so check the current handbook before you order.
Frequently asked questions
Can EFS or the ESA pay for a laptop for a Memphis student?
Yes: both 2026-27 handbooks allow a laptop and a tablet, each type once every three calendar years, bought through the Marketplace.
What has to happen before an EFS family can buy a device?
Required tuition and fees must be covered first, and the order must go through the Marketplace before April 30, 2027.
How is the IEA different for devices?
The IEA requires pre-approval for any device and allows the same kind of item once every two calendar years.
When can Memphis families order from the Marketplace in 2026-27?
The ESA Marketplace opened for uniforms and technology on August 17, 2026, EFS followed for students with no pending tuition, and both stop taking product orders at 4 p.m. Central on April 30, 2027.
Marketplace orders vs school-issued devices: which makes sense?
If your school already issues a laptop, a program-funded one may waste a three-year slot; if it does not, money left after tuition can cover one.
Related questions
- Everything EFS, the ESA and the IEA cover
- ESA details for the MSCS zone
- EFS details
- Check if your child qualifies
Sources
- TDOE — 2026-27 EFS Family Handbook
- TDOE — ESA 2026-27 Family and Schools Handbook
- TDOE — ESA 2025-26 Family Handbook
- TDOE — ESA 2026-27 Program Timeline
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