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🎓 Arkansas School Choice, ESAs & Scholarships
Which Arkansas education savings accounts, scholarships and tax credits a homeschool family can use, what they pay for, and where Arkansas stands on school choice — from our Arkansas guide.
| Run by | Arkansas Department of Education — Office of School Choice and Parent Empowerment |
|---|---|
| Spending platform | ClassWallet |
| Amount (2026–27) | $7,208 per student ( ,802 a quarter), after transaction fees |
| Succeed Scholarship students (2026–27) | $8,011 (,002.75 a quarter), after transaction fees |
| 2026–27 applications | March 9 – June 1, 2026, through FACTS; later applications only as funding allows |
| Every year | Families apply or renew for each participating student |
How EFA works for homeschool families
For 2026–27 the Arkansas Department of Education set funding at $7,208 per student, or $8,011 for Succeed Scholarship students. These are net amounts after transaction fees, paid in quarterly disbursements.
Funds are held in ClassWallet. From there families can pay a linked private school or microschool, pay a vendor, or request reimbursement for an eligible purchase by uploading proof of purchase (the purchase date, vendor name and an itemized description with prices). The department says reimbursements typically arrive within 14 business days, and can take longer at the start of a quarter.
Read the full section in our Arkansas guide
What the money can pay for
The department lists these eligible expenses for 2026–27:
- Curricula and instructional materials
- Tutoring services
- Testing
- Supplemental supplies
- Specific technology devices
- Transportation costs
- Fees for college courses
- Tuition, fees and uniforms
- The program's main page also names homeschool curriculum and educational therapies
Read the full section in our Arkansas guide
Before you buy
- If an expense isn't on the list, ask the Office of School Choice and Parent Empowerment before you spend.
- Keep itemized receipts — reimbursement requests need the date, vendor and a line-item description with costs.
- The program has testing requirements for participating students; read them on School Choice Arkansas.
- Amounts and rules are set each year. Confirm anything important on the official pages.
Read the full section in our Arkansas guide
Homeschooling in Arkansas: the basics
- The LEARNS Act and EFA: the LEARNS Act (Act 237 of 2023) created the Education Freedom Account program, and DESE says homeschool families can take part. LEARNS isn't on DESE's list of laws that changed home school rules. The laws listed since 2023 are Act 630 of 2023 and Acts 475 and 728 of 2025, all about sports and activities. The official pages we read don't say whether an EFA student counts as a home school student under the home school law. Ask the EFA office (501-683-1876, ade.efa@ade.arkansas.gov).
Read the full section in our Arkansas guide
Dual enrollment, college aid and driver's licenses
Academic Challenge Scholarship: graduates of a home school can qualify as traditional students. ADHE's scholarship page lists three ways in: earn a Diploma of Merit; have a high school GPA under 3.00 plus an ACT of 19 or higher, an SAT of 990 or higher, or an Accuplacer average of 246 or higher; or have a GPA of 3.00 or higher plus any ACT, SAT or Accuplacer score on record. The application deadline is July 1 each year, and applicants must file the FAFSA (6 CAR § 391-201). For awards starting in 2025–26, the scholarship pays