ESA Guidance
ESA Guidance
Do you have questions about the Empowerment Scholarship Account Program? We are here to help!
In addition to FAQ below, there is a lot of helpful information in the ESA Parent Handbook.
What is an ESA?
An Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) is an account administered by the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) and funded by state tax dollars to provide education options for qualified Arizona students.
An ESA consists of 90% of the state funding that would have otherwise been allocated to the school district or charter school for the qualified student (does not include federal or local funding). By accepting an ESA, the student's parent or guardian is signing a contract agreeing to provide an education that includes at least the following subjects: reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies and science. ESA funding can be used to pay private school tuition, for curriculum, home education, tutoring and more.
Can my student participate in the ESA Program and remain his/her public or charter school?
In almost all situations, students on ESA cannot be enrolled in a public school (this includes district, charter and public online programs). This is a violation of the ESA contract. Additionally, the student must be withdrawn from the public school at the time that the ESA contract is signed. If the state is paying for an ESA student's education at the same time as the student is receiving ESA funds, the state is distributing the student's education funding twice. You may be able to pay for certain public school programs utilizing your student's ESA funds, please contact us for more details.
How can I contact ESA staff?
Call our ESA Support Line at 602-364-1969 (Monday - Friday from 8am-8pm or Saturday from 8am-12pm) or reach us anytime via e-mail through the Help Desk system. HelpDesk tickets are assigned to individual ESA team members daily.
Are there application deadlines?
ESA accepts applications online year-round and the scholarship amount awarded is divided into four quarterly disbursements.
DATES:
Q1: July 1 - September 30
Q2: October 1 - December 31
Q3: January 1 - March 31
Q4: April 1 - June 30
The funding received is based on the quarter that the contract is signed.
For example, if you sign a contract at any point from July 1 - September 30, you'll receive Q1 funding. If you sign the contract from October 1 - December 31, you'll receive Q2 funding, etc.
What's the status of my application?
Applications can take up to 30 days to process (from the date a completed application is submitted) and the final determination is sent via email. During this process, we are unable to provide any indications if an application is going to be approved or denied. The best course of action while waiting is to regularly check your email for ESA correspondence. Be sure to check your spam/junk folder as well!
New to ESA?
The ESA Parent Handbook is a great place to start. We also have a helpful New ESA Parent Guide (see below)
New ESA Parent Guide
Dear ESA Parent,
Welcome! As your student gets started in the ESA program, we hope you will find the following information helpful.
What’s Next?
Your student’s ClassWallet account will be set up and funded. ClassWallet is a third-party vendor and the ESA Program’s payment platform; it is how you will make purchases and spend your student’s ESA funds.
NOTE: It typically takes approximately 3 weeks after signing the ESA contract to set up and fund your student’s account in ClassWallet.
Accessing ClassWallet
To access your student’s ClassWallet account, log into your ESA Applicant Portal. Once logged in, select the blue button that reads Go to ClassWallet Account. The link will take you directly to the ClassWallet portal, no additional sign-in is necessary! See link: Go to ClassWallet Account
Multiple Children with ESA Funds:
If you have multiple children receiving ESA funds, you can log in once and switch between your children’s accounts on the ClassWallet homepage.
In the upper right-hand corner, click on the “Welcome” drop-down menu. Select “Switch to user” and your participating children will be listed. See link: Switch User
NOTE: Please be mindful when submitting purchase requests, that you are selecting the correct student. You can view additional step-by-step instructions at Switch Child Accounts
Making Purchases
Your student’s ESA funds can be used for more than just tuition or curriculum. You can purchase many educational items like reading books, textbooks, flashcards, educational games and more!
Make sure to review the ESA Parent Handbook available on our website at ESA: Parent Handbook | Arizona Department of Education (azed.gov)
There are many ways you can use your ESA funds through ClassWallet:
1. Shop in the Marketplace
You can place orders with various online vendors within the ClassWallet Marketplace.
Start by selecting the “Start Shopping” tab on the ClassWallet homepage. See link: Start Shopping
For a more detailed article see link: Start Shopping Article
For a video tutorial see link: Start Shopping Video
2. Direct Pay Vendors
If your child's school and/or service providers are registered in ClassWallet, you can find them by clicking on the "Pay" tab on the ClassWallet homepage. See Link: Pay
You can make payments for tuition and approved vendors, and upload invoices through the ClassWallet portal.
NOTE: To submit a payment, you will need to upload your invoice, statement, or other supporting documents (PDF, JPEG or PNG format).
For a more detailed article see link: Pay Article
For a video tutorial see link: Pay Video
NOTE: If your school or vendor is not already registered in ClassWallet, they can get started at Arizona Department of Education Service Provider Registration
3. Reimbursement Option
If your educational vendor, provider, or school is not currently set up in ClassWallet, there is a reimbursement option available.
To learn how to link your bank account (article) see link: Link Your Bank Account Article
To learn how to link your bank account (video) see link: Link Your Bank Account Video
To learn how to submit a reimbursement receipt (article) see link: Submit a Reimbursement Article
For a video tutorial on how to submit a reimbursement receipt (video: desktop scanner) see link: Submit a Reimbursement Video (Desktop Scanner)
For a video tutorial on how to submit a reimbursement receipt (Mobile device) see link: Submit a Reimbursement Video (Mobile device)
4. ClassWallet Pre-Paid Debit Card
Effective February 8th, 2023, the Department has paused issuing any new debit cards.
After making a purchase with the debit card please upload your receipt! Your card will be deactivated after 20 transactions if receipts are not uploaded. A short video with step-by-step instructions is available at How to Use the ClassWallet Debit Card - YouTube
Using the ADE HelpDesk
The ADE HelpDesk is a way for you to easily communicate with any member of the ESA team. It is a self-service portal that allows you to simply submit and track your requests or questions. First-time users need to follow a one-time registration process.
Get more information on using HelpDesk, including step-by-step instructions at HelpDesk Instructions
Questions?
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the ESA Office. The ESA Service Team is available:
- By phone at (602) 364-1969 Monday through Friday 8am-8pm & Saturdays 8am-12pm
- By Email: [email protected]
- By a HelpDesk Tickets: In the ESA portal
- By Mail: 1535 W. Jefferson Street, BIN #41 Phoenix, Arizona 85007
- Or visit our website at Arizona Department of Education - ESA Program. We are happy to help!
Contact ClassWallet
You can call, email, or chat with a ClassWallet team member:
Phone: 1-877-969-5536
By Email: [email protected]
- Monday through Friday 8 AM to 8 PM (Eastern time)
- Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM (Eastern time)
There are helpful tutorials, step-by-step videos and FAQs available anytime at How to Use Your ClassWallet Funds - YouTube
What if I have financial support through the private school?
Pursuant to A.R.S.§15-2402(B)(3), students cannot receive a tuition tax credit scholarship from an STO while also receiving ESA funding. This is a contract violation and can result in termination. For further questions, please contact your STO for guidance.
Am I required to share my student's ESA Contract with our private school?
An ESA contract is an agreement between the applicant and the Arizona Department of Education, Empowerment Scholarship Account Program. What applicants choose to share with their private school or vendors is at their discretion. Additionally, ESA cannot provide any advice or guidance to families regarding private schools, programs or service providers.
How much can I expect to receive in ESA funds for my student?
We have a chart available: Approximate ESA Funding Amounts
ESA funds are distributed quarterly and funding begins the quarter that the ESA contract is signed. For example, an ESA contract that is signed at any point in Q1, will receive Q1 funding, a contract signed in Q2, will receive Q2 funding, etc.
DATES:
Q1: July 1 - September 30
Q2: October 1 - December 31
Q3: January 1 - March 31
Q4: April 1 - June 30
NOTE: It does take approximately 3 weeks to set up and fund a new ESA account. See the ESA Parent Guide for more information.
Existing ESA accounts that are in good standing will have quarterly funds requested by the Department between the 15th and the 30th of the month each quarter. Keep in mind that it does take 5-7 business days after request for funds to be reflected in the account, therefore actual deposit dates can vary.
What happens to funds that aren't spent?
While a portion of funding must be spent each year, any remaining funds remain in the account and roll over to the next year.
Do I report ESA funds on my taxes?
Pursuant to state statute (A.R.S. § 15-2402), ESA funds received pursuant to this article do not constitute taxable income to the parent of the qualified student.
| Question | Answer |
| Why is curriculum being required every time we need to replenish basic school supplies (pencils, paper, glue, scissors, etc)? | There are specific categories in state law that ESA funds are allowed to be spent on (15-2402(4)). These categories include tuition at a qualified school, textbooks required by a qualified school, and curricula and supplementary materials, among other categories. With regard to supplementary materials, earlier this month the Attorney General's Office sent ADE a letter stating that the combination of state law and State Board of Education rule requires that all supplementary materials must be required or recommended by a curriculum. For that reason, currently all supplementary materials must be supported by a curriculum. As you know, previously there were some supplementary materials like pencils, paper, and crayons that were so common that a curriculum was not required. That is no longer the case. These items now do require a curriculum. In the next question, we'll discuss curricula for those types of items. |
| How are we supposed to provide curriculum for general school supplies like paper/pencils/glue/crayons, etc. that were previously allowed without a curriculum? | We understand that these types of educational supplies are very common and that it feels unnecessary to have to explain them. Nonetheless, they are classified as supplementary materials and must have a curriculum. We don't expect that you would write a curriculum just for the purpose of justifying paper, pencils, glue, etc; however, our suggestion is that as you are submitting curricula for other courses of study, like art, math, science, English Language Art, etc. that you attach these items to those curricula. It will not be hard to justify and demonstrate why you would need pencils and paper and glue for these subjects. |
| Does a curriculum that we've purchased from a vendor require us to submit another curriculum to support the off-the-shelf curriculum we purchased? In other words, does off-the-shelf curriculum require curriculum? | The short answer is "No". A curriculum does not need to be justified by another curriculum. |
| What if we home educate, have our own set curriculum, and we want to get supplemental materials for some of the courses we are teaching at home? | If you are home educating your children, and have a set curriculum, that is great. All you now need to do is submit that curriculum, that you are already using, to ADE for review when you are purchasing supplemental materials that are required by your curriculum. As long as there is a clear connection between the supplementary materials you are submitting and your curriculum then you are set. |
| How do we order things like reading books, as we did before? | Reading books that are not textbooks required by a qualified school, are supplementary materials and do require a curriculum. For example, if you are teaching your kids to read and using books like "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" or "The Icky Sticky Frog", or whatever books you choose, submit a curriculum for learning to read, that lists these and all other titles you want to use for this purpose. Similarly, if you have an older student who loves reading and wants to read To Kill a Mockingbird or The Grapes of Wrath, or whatever other book, submit those titles along with an English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum that includes skills like reading fluency, context clues, symbolism, foreshadowing, or whatever it is they might learn when reading those books. It does not have to be an ELA curriculum, it could be another type of curriculum. ELA is what most quickly comes to mind. |
| When purchasing reading books, do we need to list the title of each book on the curriculum or just put “various books?” | Yes. You must list each title on the curriculum. ESA staff must see the title of the book specifically in the curriculum. |
| Are the art supplies that I buy required to be supported by a curriculum? | Yes. Art supplies are supplementary materials and must be required or recommended by a curriculum. If you are doing art or arts and crafts lessons with your students, document the project or craft that will be done and indicate what materials you will need. ESA staff will review the specific supplementary materials and verify that those materials are related to the project or craft your student is doing, based on the curriculum you've submitted. |
| Would an educational subscription box be considered a curriculum in and of itself or is it considered a supplementary material? And if it is a supplementary material, what should we submit to ADE for curricula to support it? | Typically, an educational subscription box is going to be a supplementary material because it is not a course of study. Rather, it is part of a course of study and typically encompasses a lesson within a course of study. Whatever course of study your educational subscription box is supporting, submit the curriculum you are using for that subject or course of study that encompasses the lesson or concepts covered by the subscription box. That would allow ESA staff to review and approve the subscription box. |
| Please explain what ADE is looking for when reviewing and approving curricula. | The State Board of Education has approved and adopted a curriculum template, which is included on page 20 of the current ESA Parent Handbook. If you are submitting parent-prepared curriculum, you may use that State-Board-approved template or you may use another curriculum format. Whatever you submit, it must include at least those elements included in the State-Board adopted curriculum template. ESA staff will review your curricula to ensure they include those elements and that they can identify that the supplementary materials you are requesting are required for the curricula. |
| Since supplemental materials must be recommended or required by a curriculum, and the curriculum must be approved by ADE, please explain the criteria for approving off-the-shelf or purchased curriculum. | If you need to purchase supplementary materials that are required or recommended by an off-the-shelf curriculum, all you need to do is submit the materials list that was included with the curriculum, along with anything else necessary to show what curriculum that materials list belongs to. As far as ADE's approval of the off-the-shelf curriculum, ESA staff approves the purchase off-the-shelf curriculum as an allowable expense covered under state law. |
| Are we able to add an addendum to a previously submitted curriculum as time progresses and other supplementary materials are needed? | Yes. You may add additional supplemental materials to a curriculum you have already submitted. We understand, sometimes you forget to add a supplementary material or later you realize your curriculum could benefit from materials you had not first considered. You are always free to submit what you need and ESA staff review the additional supplemental materials and ensure that it is supported by the curriculum. |
| If we are homeschooling with a purchased (off the shelf) space science curriculum and want to get, for example, a solar system puzzle to reinforce the spatial orientation of the planets, but it is not required or suggested in the curriculum, should we submit that space science curriculum along with an additional parent-created curriculum that explains how "the puzzle reinforces the solar system discussed in chapter 7 of the student textbook"? | If you are purchasing additional supplementary materials that are not required or recommended by your student's off-the-shelf curriculum, but the additional materials enhance, complement, enrich, extend, or supports the curriculum, you may absolutely submit an additional parent-prepared curriculum supporting and justifying the additional items. |
| My child will be attending a private special needs school. Will we need to submit a curriculum to support the tuition that we pay the school? | No. Paying for tuition at a qualified school does not require that you submit the school's curricula. Tuition at a qualified school is an allowable expense under state law and only requires a parent to submit an appropriate invoice for review and approval by ESA staff. |
| Are tickets for educational experiences like visiting a zoo, museum, or attending a play supplemental material that require a curriculum? | Yes. The tickets for a student's admission to these educational venues are considered supplemental material and do require a curriculum. When your student is going to the zoo, a museum, or a play, submit a simple curriculum that shows what they'll learn while they're there. |
| Are families in private schools able to submit their children's class supply list instead of a curriculum? | To obtain those items on a private school's supplies list, all you will need to do is submit the supplies list that shows it was issued by the school and is for your student's grade level or a class syllabus showing all the supplies and textbooks that are required for the class. |
| Could ADE provide samples of approved curriculum for frequently purchased items such as Legos and school supplies. | We know that every child has unique learning needs and ADE's ESA program does not create ready-to-use curricula for ESA families to use. However, the ESA community is a collaborative community. We encourage ESA parents to continue working together to share curricula that works and can be tailored to each student. There are many resources parents may use to create a curriculum for their student. Parents are empowered to use all resources available for each of their students' individual needs. |
| Do we need to submit a different curriculum for each supplemental material? | No. Multiple supplemental materials may be included in a single curriculum. There is no expectation that each individual supplemental material needs its own curriculum. To be clear, the Department is not requiring a different curriculum for each supplemental item. |
| By using the parent-prepared curriculum template in the ESA Parent Handbook, will we need to pay out of pocket for supplemental materials and then submit for reimbursement? | No. The need to submit a curriculum for supplementary materials does not affect how you choose to purchase the supplementary items using your ESA funds. Whether you use the "Pay vendor" option, the ClassWallet MarketPlace, seek reimbursement, or use a ClassWallet-issued debit card, none of that is affected by the need to submit a curriculum. |
| Can ADE share with account holders whether AI such as chatGPT can be used to help create curriculum? | The Arizona Department of Education is not evaluating how you created your parent-prepared curricula. As stated earlier, there are a variety of resources for parents to use to create curricula, and we encourage you to use which ever resources work best for your student. If that includes using AI, that is your decision. ADE is concerned with evaluating whether the supplementary materials you requested are required by your curricula. We are not evaluating which sources you used to create your curricula. |
My student is already a student on ESA (non-disability), how can they qualify under a disability category?
Account Holders/parents with a student who qualifies for the ESA program under a section other than a student with a disability, but who believe their student may have a disability, should seek a special education evaluation to determine eligibility for special education under IDEA from their home district or an independent education evaluation obtained for ESA purposes, as per A.R.S. § 15-2403.
What should I do if a new evaluation from a public school district was obtained?
Please submit a HelpDesk ticket and attach the new FULL COPY of the evaluation. The signature page must have at least ONE district evaluator signature on the signature page.
What should I do if an independent education evaluation for ESA purposes was obtained?
You will need to submit a HelpDesk ticket and attach:
- The FULL COPY of the independent educational evaluation.
AND
- A copy of the Qualified Examiner's license showing that it was current at the time of the evaluation. The license can be obtained from the board of examiner's website showing the Qualified Examiner's license number and expiration date.
What is a Qualified Examiner?
- Licensed Physician
- MD - Doctor of Medicine
- DO - Osteopathic Doctor
- Licensed Psychologist
- Licensed Psychiatrist
More information about Evaluations:
Alert to Special Education Directors and Program Administrators:
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Evaluations
I am registered and I still can't log in. I click "forgot password" and nothing happens.
The user ID is the e-mail address ESA has on file. If you changed this with ESA at any time, you must re-register. ESA does not have access to your password and cannot reset your password for you. If you are locked out of your account, please wait 15 minutes and try again.
I can log in, but now I don't know where to go.
ADE Connect is a web portal utilized by the Arizona Department of Education. You log into ADE Connect in order to access the ESA Portal. From there you can click "Go to ClassWallet" to enter the ClassWallet system.
I can log in, but I am getting a "server error". Is the website down?
This can be fixed by clearing out the website cookies or "browsing privately". For example, with Google Chrome, if you right click on the browser icon and select "New Incognito Window", this should help.
If you have tried everything and still can't access the ESA Applicant Portal, please email [email protected] with the following information, so that we can pass it on to our I.T. team for resolution.
- Your phone number
- Application ID (if applicable)
- Email Address that you registered with
- Specific error message you received. If you are able to, please include a screenshot of the error message.
- For Zoho errors - Whether you have previously received a Zoho email
Are invoices required?
Detailed invoices are required for expenses such as tuition, tutoring and educational therapies. Square, PayPal, or Point of Sale receipts alone are not sufficient. Pages 8 and 38 of the ESA Parent Handbook give guidance on invoices.
All transactions made with the prepaid debit card, must have a corresponding receipt uploaded in the quarter that the transaction occured. A step-by-step guide is available here.
I spent my own money before starting ESA. Can I be reimbursed? Yes, however, we cannot reimburse expenses that are made prior to the date the contract was signed.
There is an accidental charge on my account. What do I do?
If the card was used accidentally, you should try to see if the vendor or merchant can issue a refund. If that is not possible, funds can be repaid by personal check, cashier's check, or money order made out to the Arizona Department of Education. This can be delivered in person at the Arizona Department of Education building where the ESA office is located, or sent by postal mail. Certified mail (is not required) but does provide receipt that it was sent and received.
I didn't use any ESA funds this quarter. Do I need to do something?
If no funds are spent, you are required to attest that there were no funds used. This can be done by logging into your account and entering the ClassWallet portal. You will see a spot on the home page that instructs you to "click here" if there have been no expenses.
Allowable and disallowable expenses are listed here: ESA Allowable Expenses | ESA Disallowable Expenses
The Department of Education will approve any reasonable education-related expenses for students who are enrolled in the Empowerment Scholarship Account program. If an account holder is considering an expense that is not usually known as an educational expense, they will need to send documentation that shows proof of a course of study and a formal curriculum that includes the supplementary list, with that item on it. For further guidance, you can call the ESA office at 602-364-1969. The Department of Education reserves the right to final determination on the use of all ESA funds.
Did you receive a letter stating your expense was disallowed by statute?
This means the specific expense listed in your letter is disallowed by law and the account may be suspended until there is a resolution or funds are repaid.
If you are requested to repay funds:
The Department accepts repayment in the form of a personal check, cashier's check, or money order made out to the Arizona Department of Education. You can bring the check in-person to our office or mail it to us at: Arizona Department of Education, ESA Program, 1535 W. Jefferson St., Bin 41, Phoenix, AZ 85007
I would like to close my ESA account.
To close your student's account, log into the ESA portal and click the "Close account for this student" button next to the student name and follow the instructions. Please Note: An account that has been closed, cannot be reopened. To return to the program, you will need to reapply. Step-by-step closure instructions are available at Closing your student's ESA
My account was terminated. What can I do?
Following account termination, the parent has 30 days to: resolve the reason for the termination (provide documents, provide repayment, etc.) or appeal. Following the 30 days, if no action has been taken, the account will be closed.
My student is turning 18, or is in 12th grade this school year and is NOT ready to graduate. Does anything change?
Pursuant to A.R.S.§15-2402(4)(n), a student with a disability may be entitled to an education until the age of 22 if the student is not ready to graduate high school or obtain their GED. When a student is identified as being a student with a disability with ESA, and in the spring of their 12th grade cohort year, ESA will notify the parent via email. Parents will be instructed to log into the ESA Applicant Portal, click on the eligible student, and make the appropriate selection. Please see additional information in the ESA Parent Handbook.
My student is ready to graduate. Does anything change?
Once an ESA recipient graduates, they become "Exited". This means that they no longer receive additional disbursements but can continue to have access to the remaining funds. If the Account Holder would like access to the remaining funds, this requires signing an "Exited Contract". They will then have access to these funds for one year (the contract is renewed on an annual basis). Funds can be used toward additional allowable expenses, including Post Secondary Expenses (in state community college/university)
I'm a vendor or provider, how do I report ESA on my taxes?
The Department is unable to give guidance. Please seek advice from your personal Financial Advisor.
I'm a vendor or provider. How do I become a vendor in the ClassWallet system?
All vendors are registered with ClassWallet. The first step is to register at Arizona Department of Education Service Provider Registration (smartsheet.com)
I’m a tutor/teaching service. What accreditation do I need to upload in Classwallet?
If you are invoicing as:
- An individual, the Department needs a copy of your high school diploma (or higher degree) from a state, regional or national accrediting organization.
- A facility/business, the Department needs a copy of your accreditation OR a completed attestation form that attests that every tutor that works for you has a high school diploma (or higher degree) from an accredited state, regional or national accrediting organization.
