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Steamboat Legacy Scholarship (Wyoming ESA) — A Guide for Homeschool Families

The Steamboat Legacy Scholarship is Wyoming's education savings account (ESA) program. It puts $7,000 a year into an account for a Wyoming K–12 student who is not enrolled in a public school, to spend on approved education costs. Pre-K students can qualify based on income. The ESA program was created by the Education Savings Account Act in 2024, and the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act (HB 199, 2025) renamed it, raised the amount and removed the K–12 income limit. It is set out in W.S. 21-2-901 through 21-2-909. The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) runs the program, and families apply and spend through Odyssey. A constitutional lawsuit against the program is still pending; see where the court case stands below.

Overseen by	Wyoming Department of Education, under the state superintendent of public instruction (W.S. 21-2-901 to 21-2-909)
Administered by	Odyssey (applications, student accounts, the Marketplace and reimbursements)
Amount per student, 2026–27	$7,000 a year, deposited in four quarterly payments (early September and November 2026, early February and May 2027). Students approved for 2025–26 who were not in public school also get a ,750 rollover for 2026–27 expenses. Unused funds stay in the account while the student remains eligible.
Who is eligible	Wyoming residents in kindergarten through 12th grade who are not enrolled in a public school, with no income limit. A child must be 5 by August 1 to enter kindergarten and under 21 as of August 1. Pre-K (one year, age 4 by August 1) requires household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.
Application window / next dates	The 2026–27 application closed August 6, 2026. 2027–28 dates have not been announced; WDE offers email sign-up for future application notices. If applications exceed the money, students are taken first-come, first-served, with preference for returning students and their siblings.
Legal status	The Wyoming Education Association sued in June 2025, and a district court injunction blocked the program for 2025–26. On May 14, 2026 the Wyoming Supreme Court reversed that injunction (Degenfelder v. WEA, 2026 WY 54), so the program is paying out. The constitutional challenge itself is still pending in Laramie County District Court.

How the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship works for homeschool families

Any Wyoming K–12 student who is not enrolled in a public school can qualify, including children who are already homeschooled. A parent applies through Odyssey with proof of the child's age (such as a certified birth certificate or passport) and Wyoming residency (such as a vehicle registration, lease, mortgage or two recent utility bills). Pre-K applicants also send proof of income. For returning students, the application comes pre-filled.

If approved, the parent signs an ESA agreement with the state superintendent. A child who is still in public school has 15 days after approval to finish unenrolling before funds are released. Money arrives quarterly in the student's Odyssey account. Families spend it in the Odyssey Marketplace, where Odyssey pays the provider, or in a few cases ask for reimbursement.

The agreement comes with duties. The child must be taught reading, writing, math, civics (including the U.S. and Wyoming constitutions), history, literature and science; no instruction that conflicts with the family's religious beliefs is required. Each year the child must take the state assessment or a nationally normed achievement test, and the results or proof of completion must be uploaded to Odyssey by June 30. A student who misses it may not be able to continue the next year.

The law also changes how a participating child is classified. The signed ESA agreement satisfies Wyoming's compulsory attendance law, and the parent must give the resident school district notice of intent to take part in the ESA program every year. A child taught at home with ESA funds is not treated as a "home-based educational program" under Wyoming homeschool law while in the program. Enrolling full-time in a public school stops further deposits. (W.S. 21-2-904, 21-2-905, 21-4-102(d))

What the money can pay for

The statute lists these qualifying expenses (W.S. 21-2-904(b)(i)). WDE's expense guidance and the Marketplace categories fill in the details, and some items have price caps:

Textbooks, curriculum and other instructional materials, including supplemental materials and online instruction a curriculum or provider requires
Tutoring by an individual or tutoring center (not by a member of the student's immediate family)
Educational therapies: occupational, behavioral, physical, speech-language and audiology
Tuition and fees for nongovernmental online learning programs, career or technical schools, colleges, and qualified private schools
Classes, extracurricular activities and other services from a public school district or charter school
Computers and other devices used mainly for the student's education, and educational software and apps
Summer education programs and specialized after-school education programs (not after-school child care)
Fees for nationally standardized tests, AP exams and college admission exams, plus prep courses for them
Fee-for-service transportation to and from an education service provider
School uniforms and other expenses approved by the state superintendent

Before you buy

Buy through the Odyssey Marketplace whenever you can. WDE considers reimbursement only for four kinds of expenses: K–12 curriculum in the core subjects (or Pre-K readiness curriculum), student admission to museums, zoos and other educational or cultural sites, fee-for-service transportation, and internet fees.
Before buying outside the Marketplace, WDE's reimbursement steps ask you to check the Marketplace first and to ask the vendor to apply as a provider. Submit any reimbursement request within 30 days of purchase, with an itemized receipt and proof of payment. Handwritten receipts are not accepted.
For 2026–27, purchases made before September 1, 2026 are not reimbursed.
Check the price caps. Tablets, laptops, desktops, monitors and printers are capped at
,000, one per student per year, and 3D printers at
,000, one per student every two years.
ESA money can't be refunded or shared with a parent. Refunds go back into the student's account, and you can't add your own money to the account.
Plan for the annual test, and upload results by June 30.
Amounts, dates and rules can change. Confirm anything important on WDE's Education Savings Account page.

For vendors: becoming a Wyoming ESA provider

Wyoming calls approved sellers "education service providers" (ESPs). Private schools, tutors, learning centers, specialized education services and supplemental programs can apply, and they don't have to be located in Wyoming; virtual services from anywhere are allowed. Immediate family members of a student cannot serve as that student's ESP. Schools and Pre-K child care facilities that charge tuition email wde-esa@wyo.gov for a custom registration link. Everyone else applies through Odyssey's Wyoming vendor portal with provider details, licenses and certifications, a description of services, and signed assurances.

New providers get provisional status on approval. Full certification follows an assurance compliance review during the first year, and certified providers complete annual surveys and may be audited. Vendors that sell only supplies, equipment or materials are exempt from certification. A provider expecting more than

50,000 a year in ESA funds must file a surety bond. Payment is made after a service is provided or goods ship, except for prepaid tuition and assessments. Refunds go back to the student's ESA, never to the parent in cash.

Because WDE asks families to check the Marketplace and ask outside vendors to join before seeking reimbursement, being an approved provider matters in Wyoming. Listing on My Learning Source is separate from Wyoming ESA approval — you don't need one to have the other, and families find you here either way.

Homeschooling in Wyoming: the basics

Children must attend a public or private school if their 7th birthday falls on or before August 1 (or September 15 for an approved early kindergarten start). This lasts until they turn 16 or finish 10th grade. A home-based educational program counts as a private school. (W.S. 21-4-101(a)(iii), 21-4-102(a))
A home-based educational program is instruction given by the child's parent or legal guardian, or by a person the parent designates. (W.S. 21-4-101(a)(v))
It must be a basic academic educational program: a sequentially progressive curriculum in reading, writing, mathematics, civics, history, literature and science. It does not have to include anything that conflicts with the family's religious doctrines. (W.S. 21-4-101(a)(vi))
Since July 1, 2025, parents no longer submit a curriculum to the local school board each year. The person running the homeschool is responsible for making sure the curriculum meets the basic academic program requirement. (HB 46, 2025 "Homeschool Freedom Act"; W.S. 21-4-102(b))
When withdrawing a child under 18 from public school, notify the district that the child is enrolling in a home-based program. Without that notice, the law requires an in-person meeting with a district counselor or administrator to give written consent to the withdrawal. (W.S. 21-4-102(c))
Wyoming law sets no testing requirement for homeschooled students. Families in the ESA program must test every year as part of their ESA agreement. (W.S. 21-4-102; W.S. 21-2-904(b)(ii))
A school-age child who lives in a district but isn't enrolled there full-time may take part in the district's activities, including Wyoming High School Activities Association sports. The district may charge only the fees full-time students pay. (W.S. 21-4-506)

Where the court case stands

On June 13, 2025, the Wyoming Education Association and a group of parents sued in Laramie County District Court, claiming the ESA program violates the Wyoming Constitution. The district court granted a preliminary injunction in July 2025, and on October 7, 2025 the Wyoming Supreme Court declined to pause it. The program was blocked for most of the 2025–26 school year.

On May 14, 2026, the Wyoming Supreme Court reversed the injunction (Degenfelder v. Wyoming Education Association, 2026 WY 54). It held that the plaintiffs had not clearly shown the possible irreparable personal harm needed for a preliminary injunction, and it sent the case back to the district court. The ruling did not decide whether the program is constitutional.

WDE says the program can proceed and make payments while the lawsuit continues, and that the remaining question is whether the state's funding mechanism is constitutional. WDE also says there is no indication families or schools would have to repay properly paid funds if the law were later struck down. As of October 9, 2026 we found no ruling on the merits. A future ruling could end or change the program, so check the official pages before you plan a year around it.

Other Wyoming programs: Hathaway, activities and college courses

Hathaway Scholarship for homeschool graduates: a Wyoming homeschool graduate can earn a Hathaway merit scholarship at an eligible Wyoming college. The student must apply before turning 21, complete the Hathaway Success Curriculum courses, and earn the required ACT score. The minimums are 25 for Honors (

,360 a semester), 21 for Performance (

,770), 19 for Opportunity (

,180), and 17 for Provisional Opportunity (

,180), which also accepts a WorkKeys score. Homeschool students qualify by test score instead of high school GPA. A need-based supplement can add more. (W.S. 21-16-1308; hathawayscholarship.org, WDE)

Public school activities: a homeschooled child can join the activities and sports of the district where the family lives, under W.S. 21-4-506 (see above).

College courses: Wyoming's district-funded dual and concurrent enrollment runs through agreements between school districts and colleges (W.S. 21-20-201) and is built around public school students. Homeschooled teens should ask a Wyoming community college about its rules and cost for high school students. ESA students can use their funds for tuition and fees at a college.

Driver's licenses and special education

Permits: at 15 a teen can get an instruction permit after passing every part of the exam except the driving test. The teen may drive only with a licensed driver 18 or older in the seat beside them (W.S. 31-7-110(a)). WYDOT says the learner's permit must be held at least 10 days before the next step. At 16, a teen who has held the permit and completed at least 50 hours of practice driving, including 10 hours at night, can apply for an intermediate permit. A parent or guardian must certify the hours (31-7-110(g)). We found no school enrollment or attendance requirement in Wyoming's licensing statutes for minors (31-7-108, 31-7-110), so homeschoolers follow the same steps as everyone else.

Driver education: a full license before 17 requires holding the intermediate permit for six months and completing an approved driver education course (31-7-108(a)). WYDOT says a teen under 17 who hasn't completed driver education isn't eligible for full driving privileges. The course must be approved through the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), and WYDOT accepts only certificates from providers on WDE's approved list (W.S. 21-3-501(g)).

WDE's Chapter 39 rules (effective March 31, 2007) require at least 30 classroom hours and 6 behind-the-wheel hours. They also define a "parent based driver education program": one taught by a parent or legal guardian to their own children when the student's high school doesn't offer driver education. No home-based or parent-based program may issue a completion certificate until WDE has reviewed and approved it. If you want to teach driver education yourself, contact WDE's driver education office before you start.

Special education: Wyoming law counts a home-based educational program as a private school (W.S. 21-4-101(a)(iii)). WDE says this gives homeschooled children with disabilities the same rights as children their parents place in private schools. Under "child find," the school district must identify, locate and evaluate children with disabilities ages 3–21 in homeschools within its boundaries. It must also tell homeschool families how to get publicly funded evaluations. A parent must give written consent before an evaluation. After you sign, the school has 60 calendar days to finish the evaluation and decide eligibility. (WDE, Parental Placements in Private Schools and Homeschools, 2021; WDE Parent's Guide to Special Education, 2026; Chapter 7 rules)

Services: a homeschooled child has no individual right to the services they would get in public school. Instead, the district must spend a proportionate share of its federal special education money on children in private schools and homeschools in the district. It consults with families about how to spend that money and writes a services plan for each child it serves. The plan lists only the services offered, and the district may ask the child to come to a public school for them, such as speech therapy. If a child needs transportation to take part, the district provides it between home and the service site. If the district didn't consult you in a meaningful and timely way, you can file a complaint with WDE. (WDE, Parental Placements in Private Schools and Homeschools, 2021)

Homebound is not the same as homeschool. A homebound student is enrolled in public school and gets IEP services at home, with all IDEA rights. Wyoming law says an ESA student taught outside a school isn't a home-based educational program student (W.S. 21-2-904(f)), and WDE's homeschool guide doesn't address ESA students. If your child is in the ESA program, ask your district's special education director how it handles child find and services.

Sports and activities for homeschoolers

The law: a school-age child who lives in a school district, isn't under suspension or expulsion by a Wyoming district, and isn't enrolled full time in that district must be allowed to take part in any activities the district offers, including Wyoming High School Activities Association (WHSAA) sports and activities (W.S. 21-4-506(a)).

Fees: the district may require any participation fees WHSAA requires, and may charge an extra participation fee no higher than what its full-time students pay. It can't charge tuition or any other fee as a condition of taking part. Your child must follow all other district and activities association rules that apply to every participant (W.S. 21-4-506(a)(i)–(iii)).

WHSAA affiliate membership: WHSAA treats homeschooled high school students as affiliate members. Its handbook defines a home school as instruction given by a parent or legal guardian, or a person they designate, and says a program provided to more than one family unit is not a home school. Affiliate members have no vote in WHSAA, must apply each year before the first practice of the fall, winter or spring season, and must meet Wyoming's homeschool law while they are members (2026–27 WHSAA Handbook, Rule 2.6.5).

Affiliate fees (2026–27): a

00 affiliate membership fee per home school, the catastrophic insurance fee, and WHSAA's activity fee for each activity. The activity fee isn't charged when the home school is the visiting school in a combination school agreement. WHSAA's payment instructions say the membership is paid once per family, with catastrophic insurance for each student taking part.

How to register: WHSAA's registration process (updated June 24, 2026) is for high school families, grades 9–12. Fill out the Affiliate Home/Virtual School Membership and Combination School Agreement form on WHSAA's Home/Virtual School page, then pay through its payment portal. A copy of the agreement goes automatically to the host school. WHSAA says the forms and payment portal open by July 15 for the next school year. For a junior high student, contact your local school district.

Combination school agreement: the host school becomes your child's school for all the sports and activities it offers. If you later change to a different host school, all transfer rules apply. Under the general combination rules, the visiting school's principal fills out part of the form and the host school's principal completes it and sends it to WHSAA before the first competition of the season (Rules 2.6.5, 3.1.32).

Academic eligibility: a homeschool affiliate student can establish eligibility with a composite score at or above the 25th percentile on a nationally norm-referenced achievement test, which counts for one calendar year from the date of the results, or with grades and assessments given by a teacher that meet WHSAA's regular academic rules (Rule 6.2.90). Those rules require passing grades in subjects worth at least 5.0 credits a year in the previous semester, and passing five solid subjects at the time of a contest (Rules 6.2.1–6.2.2). Under a combination school agreement, you give the host school proof of work showing your child meets subject and class-hour requirements as often as the host checks its own students; the agreement may use either option (Rule 6.2.91).

Other rules: each member school sets its own participation rules, such as academic expectations and conduct standards, and those apply on top of WHSAA's (Rule 6.1.5). Students must be under 20 on August 1 for fall sports, November 1 for winter and March 1 for spring (Rule 6.3.1). A student is limited to eight semesters, counted in a row from the start of ninth grade (Rule 6.5.1). WHSAA's transfer rules cover grade 9–12 students moving between member and affiliate member schools, and a student who is ineligible at one school can't become eligible by transferring (Rules 6.4.5, 6.4.93). Ask the host school's activities director before you switch schools.

Music and band: homeschooled students may march with a school's band if an official combination school agreement is on file with WHSAA. For All-State honor groups, home school and virtual school students must be enrolled in the school group that matches the All-State group they audition for, unless no such group exists.

ESA students: Steamboat Legacy Scholarship (ESA) funds can pay for services a public school district contracts for and provides, including individual classes and extracurricular activities and programs (W.S. 21-2-904(b)(i)(C)).

Official sources

My Learning Source is an independent marketplace. We are not affiliated with the Wyoming Department of Education, the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship (Wyoming ESA) Program or Odyssey, and a listing here does not mean a vendor is an approved Wyoming ESA education service provider.

As of October 2026.

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