Arkansas EFA: Education Freedom Accounts
The Arkansas EFA is an education savings account. $7,208 per student for 2026-27.
- Award
- $7,208 per student for 2026-27
- Read
- Who qualifies
- Universal since 2025-26: every Arkansas K-12 student is eligible, subject to the annual appropriation.
- Read
- Application window
- The 2026-27 application and renewal period ran March 9 to June 1, 2026, through the state’s FACTS application portal.
- Read
Schools that take EFA Deadlines by state Homeschooling in Arkansas All 147 private schools in Arkansas
How EFA works
Checked against the program's own pages on
| What you get | $7,208 per student for 2026-27. $8,011 for students who previously held a Succeed Scholarship, paid in four quarterly payments of $2,002.75. |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Universal since 2025-26: every Arkansas K-12 student is eligible, subject to the annual appropriation. |
| How full it is | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported on September 18, 2026, citing the Education Department, that 55,833 applications had been filed for 2026-27 and that about 50,000 students are expected to take part: just over 28,000 in private school and about 21,000 homeschooled. We have not found these counts on a state page. |
| When to apply | The 2026-27 application and renewal period ran March 9 to June 1, 2026, through the state’s FACTS application portal. Applications filed after June 29, 2026 may be reviewed later only if funding allows. The Arkansas Department of Education says the 2027-28 application will open in March 2027; exact dates are not posted yet. |
| How the money moves | Funds are held in a ClassWallet account; tuition is paid to the school, other purchases to approved vendors. |
| What it covers | Private school tuition and fees, tutoring, therapies, curriculum, courses, testing and supplies. |
| Federal tax credit, 2027 | Arkansas is on the IRS list of states that opted in to the federal scholarship tax credit (as of September 14, 2026), so scholarship organizations here can take federally credited gifts from January 2027. |
We read this on from: Arkansas DESE, Education Freedom Accounts (2026-27 application period); Arkansas DESE, information for families (award amounts); Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, September 18, 2026, applications; Arkansas Advocate, July 1, 2026, tuition vs. award. Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.
Is there an income limit for EFA?
Any Arkansas K-12 student can apply whatever the household income. When applications are processed, returning EFA students are reviewed first, then students with specialized needs, then students from D or F rated schools, then military, first responder and law enforcement families, then first-time kindergartners, then all other new students. Source.
Who goes first. Applications are reviewed in this order: returning EFA students; students with specialized needs (Succeed Scholarship recipients, students with a disability under IDEA, homeless or foster students); students who attended a school rated D or F the previous year; children of active-duty military, veterans, Arkansas National Guard members, law enforcement officers or first responders; first-time kindergartners; then all other new students.
Apply for the Arkansas EFA: how it works
- Go to the EFA application portal at arkansasefa.com, which runs on the FACTS system, during the application period (for 2026-27 it was March 9 to June 1, 2026).
- Create a FACTS account and family profile with an email address you check often, or log in if you already have one.
- Complete the online application for each student, including current school, the setting you plan to use (private school, microschool or homeschool) and eligibility questions such as Arkansas residency.
- Upload proof of the student's age and proof of Arkansas residency, then submit and watch for a confirmation email.
- Wait for an emailed decision. If the student is approved, you will be invited to set up a ClassWallet account.
- In ClassWallet, link the student to an approved private school or to homeschool. The school confirms enrollment, or for homeschool ADE checks that a Notice of Intent is on file, before the account is funded.
- Funds arrive in four quarterly deposits, and the school invoices you in ClassWallet for tuition.
What to have ready
- Proof of student age (birth certificate, passport, immunization record or state ID)
- Proof of Arkansas residency (recent utility bill, lease, or Arkansas driver's license with your address)
- Notice of Intent to homeschool filed with your school district (homeschool students only)
Go to the official application
Steps and limits read on from: Arkansas DESE, Education Freedom Accounts; Arkansas DESE, EFA information for families; Arkansas DESE, EFA frequently asked questions (updated 10/1/26); Arkansas DESE, EFA Family Handbook 2025-26. Limits change each year with the federal poverty guidelines, so confirm on the official site before you apply.
Which schools take it
List read October 26, 2026, checked November 4, 2026
Schools marked “EFA school” here appear on the participating-school list published by the Arkansas Department of Education. We match by school name and city, or by a name that appears only once in the state, and show the date we last read the list.
The share of private schools on each state's list, Arkansas included.
119 schools on the EFA list, by town Browse private schools in Arkansas
- Private schools in Little Rock (24 nearby)
- Private schools in North Little Rock (19 nearby)
- Private schools in Jacksonville (13 nearby)
- Private schools in Fayetteville (11 nearby)
- Private schools in Rogers (11 nearby)
- Private schools in Benton (7 nearby)
- Private schools in Fort Smith (7 nearby)
- Private schools in Jonesboro (7 nearby)
- Private schools in Hot Springs (6 nearby)
- Private schools in Harrison (5 nearby)
- Private schools in Conway (4 nearby)
- Private schools in Searcy (4 nearby)
- Private schools in Siloam Springs (4 nearby)
- Private schools in Paragould (3 nearby)
- Private schools in Russellville (3 nearby)
- Private schools in Stuttgart (3 nearby)
Related programs
Run your own numbers
What would you pay?
Enter amounts of $0 or more.
We filled in the standard EFA amount. Change it if your award letter says something different. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.
Published tuition at schools on the EFA list
Prices read on the schools' own websites, October 1, 2026 to October 11, 2026
We verified published tuition at 5 of the 119 schools on the list: prices run from $5,500 to $20,780 a year, and the middle price is $9,608, using each school’s lowest published rate. Compare that with the award above to see what a family might still owe.
| School | Town | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Episcopal Collegiate School | Little Rock | $17,600 to $20,780 | 2026-27 |
| Life Way Christian School | Centerton | $9,390 to $10,155 | 2026-27 |
| St. Joseph Catholic School | Fayetteville | $9,608 | 2026-27 |
| St. Vincent de Paul School | Rogers | $10,553 | 2026-27 |
| Fayetteville Christian School | Fayetteville | $5,500 | 2026-27 |
Each figure was read on that school’s own website and is linked on its page. These are the schools we have verified so far, mostly larger ones, so treat them as a guide, not an average.
Put the next EFA window in your calendar
Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state's program to add its next dated window to your own calendar, with the official link, or subscribe to every program's dates.
No new EFA application dates are posted yet. How EFA works.
Every program's dates in one calendar that updates when we confirm new dates: subscribe in Google Calendar · subscribe in Apple Calendar or Outlook · all deadlines
Free. Nothing to sign up for: the calendar file is made in your browser and nothing is sent to us. Dates can change, so confirm on the official site.
Questions parents ask
Answers with a source line are short summaries of the program document named under them. Follow the link for the full wording.
How much does EFA pay in Arkansas?
$7,208 per student for 2026-27. $8,011 for students who previously held a Succeed Scholarship, paid in four quarterly payments of $2,002.75.
Who is eligible?
Universal since 2025-26: every Arkansas K-12 student is eligible, subject to the annual appropriation.
Does it cover the full cost of private school?
Not always. The award is a set amount and every school sets its own price. Ask each school for tuition plus fees, then subtract the award. The calculator on this page does the sum for you.
How do I know a school accepts EFA?
Schools marked “EFA school” here appear on the participating-school list published by the Arkansas Department of Education. We match by school name and city, or by a name that appears only once in the state, and show the date we last read the list.
When do I apply?
The 2026-27 application and renewal period ran March 9 to June 1, 2026, through the state’s FACTS application portal. Applications filed after June 29, 2026 may be reviewed later only if funding allows. The Arkansas Department of Education says the 2027-28 application will open in March 2027; exact dates are not posted yet.
How do I apply for the Arkansas EFA?
Go to the EFA application portal at arkansasefa.com, which runs on the FACTS system, during the application period (for 2026-27 it was March 9 to June 1, 2026). The 7 steps are listed under “Apply for the Arkansas EFA” on this page, with the documents to have ready.
Do we have to reapply every year?
Yes. Families must complete a renewal application each year for every participating student, but returning families may not have to provide their documents again.
When does the 2027-28 application open?
ADE says the application for the 2027-28 school year will open in March 2027.
How much is the account worth?
For 2026-27 it is $7,208 a year, paid as $1,802 each quarter. Students who held a Succeed Scholarship receive $8,011, paid as $2,002.75 each quarter. ADE says these are net amounts after transaction fees.
Can homeschoolers use it?
Yes. Homeschool students can use the account for curriculum, tutoring and other approved expenses, but the family must file a Notice of Intent to homeschool with the local district each year and arrange an approved annual test.
Is the money taxable?
ADE's 2025-26 handbook says EFA funds are not personal income, families do not receive a 1099, and the funds are not reported on personal taxes.
What happens to money we do not spend?
Unused funds carry from quarter to quarter within the school year and, under the 2025-26 handbook, can carry into the next year up to a limit ADE sets. If the student enrolls full-time in public school or moves out of Arkansas, the account closes and any unused funds go back to the state.
Who gets funded first?
Applications are reviewed in priority order: returning EFA students, then students with specialized needs (Succeed Scholarship recipients, students with a disability under IDEA, homeless or foster students), then students who attended a D or F rated school last year, then military, veteran, National Guard, law enforcement and first responder families, then first-time kindergartners, then everyone else.
Source: Arkansas Department of Education, Education Freedom Accounts FAQs (updated 10/1/26), page updated October 1, 2026.
Are there fees taken out of the account?
No. ADE says the $7,208 (or $8,011 for Succeed students) is the net amount after transaction fees, so families can spend all of it.
Source: Arkansas Department of Education, Education Freedom Accounts FAQs (updated 10/1/26), page updated October 1, 2026.
How does ADE decide if a purchase is allowed?
An expense must be ordinary, meaning commonly used in education, and necessary, meaning essential to your child's documented learning goals. ADE may ask for more information, such as a syllabus or learning plan, when the purpose is not obvious.
Source: Arkansas Department of Education, Education Freedom Accounts FAQs (updated 10/1/26), page updated October 1, 2026.
Is everything in the ClassWallet marketplace allowed?
No. Being listed in the marketplace is not pre-approval. ADE still reviews each item, its cost and whether it meets the ordinary and necessary standard for that student. You can ask for preapproval on a form if you are unsure.
Source: Arkansas Department of Education, Education Freedom Accounts FAQs (updated 10/1/26), page updated October 1, 2026.
Does my child have to take a test?
Yes. Students in kindergarten to grade 10 who receive EFA funds must take a national norm-referenced test each year and submit math and reading results.
Source: Arkansas Department of Education, Education Freedom Accounts FAQs (updated 10/1/26), page updated October 1, 2026.
How long do reimbursements take?
ADE aims to approve requests within 25 business days, longer in busy periods such as right after funds go out. Once approved, the money should reach your bank account within 2 to 10 business days. Receipts must show the vendor, what was bought, the amount, the date and proof of payment.
Source: Arkansas Department of Education, Education Freedom Accounts FAQs (updated 10/1/26), page updated October 1, 2026.
Can travel to a provider be reimbursed?
Yes. Travel to and from an educational service provider is reimbursed at $0.52 a mile, using ADE's Travel Reimbursement Form with proof of enrollment or attendance and a GPS route screenshot.
Source: Arkansas Department of Education, Education Freedom Accounts FAQs (updated 10/1/26), page updated October 1, 2026.
How do I change my child's school?
Update the school, shipping address or phone number in ClassWallet through ClassWallet support. Changes to the EFA application itself are made by the family at arkansasefa.com, because ADE cannot edit it for you.
Source: Arkansas Department of Education, Education Freedom Accounts FAQs (updated 10/1/26), page updated October 1, 2026.
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