SMILE ZEMI APPROVED AS VENDOR FOR TEXAS EDUCATION FREEDOM ACCOUNTS

A pre-K child uses a tablet and stylus from Smile Zemi at the dining room table.

Smile Zemi, approved as an authorized vendor for the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program, uses a stylus so children are actually writing, which improves learning.

Smile Zemi stylus learning tablet approved as Texas Education Freedom Accounts vendor. Eligible families can use TEFA funds via Odyssey starting July 1.

The tablet comes with a stylus pen, so children aren't just tapping like every other service — they're actually writing, just like using paper and pencil,”

— Fusayo Terao, senior expert at JustSystems, developer of Smile Zemi.

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, June 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Smile Zemi, the award-winning stylus-based adaptive learning tablet for children in Pre-K through Grade 5, offered by JUSTSYSTEMS AMERICA, INC., has been approved as an authorized vendor for the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program, the state's landmark school choice initiative launching this year. Beginning July 1, 2026, eligible Texas families will be able to purchase Smile Zemi subscriptions using their TEFA funds through the Odyssey platform at https://educationfreedom.texas.gov/.
The Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, established by Senate Bill 2 and administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, provides state funds to eligible families to cover a wide range of educational expenses, from private school tuition to tutoring, curriculum materials, and approved educational technology. More than 100,000 Texas students have already been awarded TEFA accounts for the 2026–27 school year, with homeschool families receiving up to $2,000 annually and private school students receiving up to $10,474.
Texas families awarded TEFA funding can access the Odyssey marketplace beginning July 1 and may use their funds for approved educational expenses in private school, homeschool, and other approved learning settings.
Unlike passive screen-based learning tools, Smile Zemi is built around a stylus-driven interface backed by research showing that writing by hand develops early literacy skills in ways touchscreen tapping cannot replicate. The tablet's adaptive curriculum responds in real time to each child's progress, providing personalized instruction across core subjects including reading, math, and writing.
"The tablet comes with a stylus pen, so children aren't just tapping like every other service — they're actually writing, just like using paper and pencil," said Fusayo Terao, senior expert at JustSystems, developer of Smile Zemi. "That's especially beneficial for Pre-K and kindergarten learners who are new to learning, and even into elementary school, writing out their own thoughts supports both cognitive development and fine motor skills."
Families who have used Smile Zemi through Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, one of the most established education savings account programs in the country, speak to its impact firsthand.
According to Crystal Hernandez, an Arizona homeschooling parent and former classroom teacher, "I tried everything, and nothing was working for my neurodivergent child. We were struggling every day with tears, breakdowns, and panic attacks during lessons. Smile Zemi drastically changed the way we learn at home. She has made more progress in a few short months than she had in an entire year."
To learn more about Smile Zemi or to explore subscription options, visit www.smile-zemi.com.
ABOUT SMILE ZEMI
Smile Zemi is a home learning system that launched in Japan in 2012, designed for preschool, elementary, junior high, and high school students to study using a dedicated tablet. All courses offer high-quality learning through the concept of "learning by writing" similar to using paper and pencil, and "Interactive Learning" utilizing AI. In 2023, Smile Zemi for elementary school students was launched in the United States. For information, visit www.smile-zemi.com.

KC Crabtree
HMA Public Relations
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