How education savings accounts work, state by state
An education savings account sends public education funds to your family instead of a school. You spend it on approved learning expenses through a marketplace or by receipt.
Updated
An education savings account sends public education funds to your family instead of a school. You spend the funds on approved learning expenses, such as tuition, tutoring, curriculum and therapies.
Each state runs its own program with its own rules. The amount, the eligible children and the approved expenses all differ. Nothing below replaces your program's handbook.
The states with programs
Arizona runs the oldest broad program. Its Empowerment Scholarship Account is open to every Arizona student. Families manage funds through ClassWallet. Arizona takes rolling applications with no annual deadline.
Florida runs several scholarships through Step Up for Students. Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) fits private school tuition. Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities (FES-UA) fits children with qualifying disabilities. The Personalized Education Program (PEP) fits home education. Families shop in the EMA Marketplace or claim by receipt.
Texas launched Texas Education Freedom Accounts for the 2026-27 school year. The Texas Comptroller runs it with Odyssey. More than 100,000 students won awards for year one. Home-school families receive up to $2,000 a year. Applications for year one ran February 4 to March 17, 2026.
Utah runs Utah Fits All on the Odyssey marketplace. Odyssey became administrator in May 2025, replacing ACE Scholarships. Awards run about $8,000 a year for full-time students and less for home-based students by age band.
Iowa runs Students First through Odyssey. In 2025-26 every Iowa K-12 student at an accredited nonpublic school qualifies. Funds must go to tuition and fees first. Purchases run through the Odyssey Marketplace.
Arkansas runs Education Freedom Accounts. The 2025-26 program is universal for K-12 students who can enroll in public school, including home-school students. Families apply through FACTS and manage funds in ClassWallet.
North Carolina runs ESA+ for students with disabilities through the State Education Assistance Authority. Online tutoring runs through the ClassWallet Marketplace.
How the money moves
Three systems move the money. ClassWallet serves Arizona, Arkansas and others as a marketplace and wallet. Odyssey serves Texas, Utah, Iowa and Louisiana as portal and marketplace. Step Up for Students runs Florida's EMA Marketplace.
Two paths pay a vendor. Direct pay sends funds straight to an approved vendor in the marketplace. Reimbursement pays you back after you submit a receipt for an approved expense. Keep every invoice with your child's name on it.
Deadlines to watch
Arizona has no annual deadline. Texas, Utah, Iowa and Arkansas set yearly windows, usually in spring. Florida renews by program with its own dates. Missing a window can lose a full year of funds, so read the dates early.
What this directory adds
Listings name the funds families use at each vendor. An approval label always names the official list and its date. Check the vendor on that list before you spend, because lists change.