Arkansas ESA and scholarship programs
Education savings account and scholarship programs in Arkansas: who runs them, the key figures for this school year, the next dates, recent changes and step-by-step guides.
Programs
Education Freedom Account
- Short name
- EFA
- Administrator
- Arkansas Department of Education
- Payment platform
- ClassWallet for spending and renewals; FACTS for new applications
- Applications
- waitlist
Key facts
| Value and source | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Education Freedom Account | amount, Non-Succeed students | 2026–27 | $7,208 a year ($1,802 a quarter) (Net amount to the student after transaction fees.)[source] Checked |
| Education Freedom Account | amount, Succeed students | 2026–27 | $8,011 a year ($2,002.75 a quarter) (For students who took part in the Succeed Scholarship Program in 2022–23.)[source] Checked |
| Education Freedom Account | payment rule | 2026–27 | August 2026, October 2026, February 2027, April 2027 (Months only; dates are subject to slight change. ADE: 'Dates are subject to slight change each year. Always refer to ADE communications for the exact deadlines and schedule.' Parents must accept the ClassWallet affidavit before funds are visible.)[source] Checked |
| Education Freedom Account | Rollover | 2026–27 | Rollover until the balance exceeds $8,500 or the § 6-18-2505(a) amount, whichever is less (The rule does not say what happens to funds above the cap. The handbook says only that rollover is 'up to a limit set by ADE'.)[source] Checked |
| Education Freedom Account | Spending caps | 2026–27 | 25% transportation; 25% extracurricular/PE/field trips (The FAQ gives the travel rate as $0.52 per mile, claimed with the Travel Reimbursement Form.)[source] Checked |
| Education Freedom Account | Technology threshold | 2026–27 | $1,000 aggregate annual device cost before extra justification (Devices must be approved by the department or a licensed physician in Arkansas. Prior-year purchases of similar devices are considered.)[source] Checked |
| Education Freedom Account | Reimbursement pre-approval | 2026–27 | ADE approval before purchase for non-core expenses claimed by reimbursement; start date not published (Core educational expenses (tuition and required fees, classroom-based instruction and tutoring, textbooks, workbooks and curricular materials, classroom consumables, digital learning resources, required tests, special education services) do not need pre-approval. ADE has not published when this starts, so ask ADE before buying non-core items you plan to claim.)[source] Checked |
| Education Freedom Account | Test results due (K–10) | 2026–27 | By June 30, 2027 (Grades 11–12 are exempt. Students exempt because of their disability are reported on a separate list. A student who consistently fails to show achievement or growth can be removed.)[source] Checked |
| Education Freedom Account | 2027–28 application | 2027–28 | March 2027 (For 2026–27, the window opened March 9, 2026, and applications after June 1, 2026 'might be waitlisted or, if approved, result in a mid-year start' (handbook p. 11).)[source] Checked |
How this table is compiled: sources and methodology.
Next dates
- June 30, 2027 — Education Freedom Account: K–10 test results due to the Arkansas Department of Education (Renewal)
Recent changes
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Guides by task
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