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The Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program is a special fund that helps parents pay for their child’s education. It’s like a savings account, but the money comes from the state and can be used for things like school tuition, tutoring, or educational materials.
How much money can families receive?
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.
Who can I contact with questions?
You can contact the Office of School Choice and Parent Empowerment, Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education by Phone: 501-683-3162 or by Email: [email protected]
Is there a handbook for the Arkansas Children's Educational Freedom Account Program ?
Yes! You can find the handbook here for more information.
How are EFA funds disbursed?
For the 2023-2024 school year, families elect to use EFA funds toward eligible expenses through the ClassWallet portal.
What is ClassWallet?
ClassWallet is a vendor that supports digital purchases and payments. ADE has contracted with ClassWallet for the 2023-2024 school year to fulfill Education Freedom Account payments. Participating parents must register an account on the ClassWallet portal, where they can then distribute account funds to their participating private school of choice. Parents can use ClassWallet’s marketplace feature to cover non-tuition eligible expenses (e.g., uniforms) from approved third-party providers.
So, how does this program work? It’s pretty straightforward. The state of Arkansas puts money into an account for each child who is accepted into the program. Parents apply for the program, and if accepted, they get a certain amount of money each year for educational 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.
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:
| Eligibility 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 |
