Family EFA Details
Overview
Education Freedom Accounts may be used by eligible families to cover private school tuition, fees, uniforms, and some other required expenses. Education Freedom Accounts provide funding up to 90% of the State’s prior year per-student foundation funding amount, up to around $6,600 for the 2023-2024 school year.
Application Timeline and Student Eligibility Requirements
Apply to Receive Education Freedom Account Funds
If you are unable to access the online application, please download a copy of the Student Application.
For the 2023-2024 school year, participating students must be eligible to enroll in public elementary or secondary school in Arkansas, have at least one parent who is a resident of Arkansas, and meet one of the following criteria:
- First time kindergartener
- Students who in the previous year were enrolled in an “F” rated school or “Level-5” district
- Students who in the previous year were enrolled in the Succeed Scholarship Program
- Students with a disability
- Students experiencing homelessness
- Current or former foster care students
- Children of active-duty military personnel
The EFA student application is now live! Using ADE’s student application portal, families may now complete and save an application, verify a student’s eligibility, and upload necessary accompanying documents. Applications will be considered on a rolling first-come first-serve basis until August 1. After August 1, applications will be reviewed pending funding availability and scholarship capacity.
Eligible Expenses
For the 2023-2024 school year, eligible expenses include tuition / fees, uniforms, testing, and any other educational expenses that are deemed to be required by a student’s participating private school, up to the awarded amount of approximately around $6,600.
Tuition / Fees: Payments of private school tuition and accompanying fees
Uniforms: Cost of uniforms
Other Required Expenses: Other educational expenses (e.g., supplies) that may be required by participating private schools. ADE is in the process of collecting required expenses from private schools in order to be able to approve necessary expenses for students for the 2023-2024 school year.
Tuition expenses should be prioritized over other eligible expense types. All payments and purchases of tuition and educational expenses must be purchased through ClassWallet, ADE’s selected digital marketplace and payment vendor for the 2023-2024 school year.
Succeed Scholarship Transition
Education Freedom Accounts provide that all students who are currently receiving benefits under the Succeed Scholarship Program are automatically eligible to receive EFA funds. Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, the Succeed Scholarship program will no longer exist, and will be entirely handled by EFAs. Students who in the previous year participated in the Succeed Scholarship Program and who have elected to enroll to receive EFA funds will continue to receive the full scholarship amount awarded to them under the Succeed Scholarship Program Ark. Code Ann. § 6-41-901 et seq.
Pay and Purchase Through ClassWallet
To facilitate an efficient, timely, and secure transfer of Education Freedom Account funds, ADE has contracted with ClassWallet, a leading digital wallet and accounts payable platform, for the 2023-2024 school year. ClassWallet has a proven track record of serving families, states and districts, including Arkansas.
Through ClassWallet’s platform, families can track and execute tuition payments to participating private schools. Families will also be able to purchase uniforms and other required expenses on the ClassWallet marketplace. Upon acceptance to receive EFA funds, ADE will provide families with a comprehensive set-up guide that navigates participants through the ClassWallet registration process.
For more information, please contact:
Office of School Choice and Parent EmpowermentArkansas Department of Education
Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
Four Capitol Mall
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501-683-1876
Email: ade.efa@ade.arkansas.gov