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Mississippi Education Scholarship Account for Students with Special Needs

Education savings account. Up to $8,421 for 2026-27.

172 private schools listed in Mississippi

Income limitsHow to applyTuition calculator

How ESA works

What you getUp to $8,421 for 2026-27. Paid quarterly as reimbursements. The amount is reset each spring based on available funds.
Who qualifiesMississippi students with an active IEP developed by a public school district within three years of applying, accepted at an eligible private school.
How full it is454 students in 2025-26, according to EdChoice. Funded by a $5 million yearly appropriation. Eligible applicants are awarded first come, first served, then placed on a waitlist.
When to applyApplications are accepted year-round. The state suggests December through May so the award arrives before school starts.
How the money movesReimbursement only: parents submit itemized receipts each quarter and the state pays the parent or an approved provider. No lump sums.
What it coversTuition and fees at an eligible school, textbooks, tutoring, curriculum, tests, therapies, dual enrollment and some technology.
Federal tax credit, 2027Mississippi 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.

Worth knowing: Small and capped by appropriation, with a waitlist. The law is set to be repealed on July 1, 2028 unless renewed. Mississippi also runs a Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship, with awards set by the state per-student funding formula. Read about the Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship.

We read this on from: Mississippi Department of Education, Education Scholarship Account; MDE, ESA questions and answers (rev. 10/2025); EdChoice, Mississippi special needs ESA. Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.

Related programs

Is there an income limit for ESA?

There is no income test. A student qualifies by living in Mississippi, having an IEP from a public school district that was active within three years of the application, and being accepted by an eligible private school; eligible applications are funded first come, first served, then waitlisted. Source.

Who goes first. Applications are date stamped when received and eligible ones are awarded first come, first served. When all awards are filled, eligible students go on a waiting list and are awarded in date order as money becomes available.

How to apply for ESA

  1. Get the 2026-27 ESA application from the MDE ESA page or from your local public school district.
  2. Ask the private school for a letter on school letterhead saying your child has been accepted and the school can serve your child's needs.
  3. Fill out and sign the application, initial every item on the Parent/Guardian Application Responsibilities page, and attach all required documents; incomplete applications are not processed.
  4. Mail the original signed application to MDE, Office of Special Education, Attention: Education Scholarship Account, P.O. Box 771, Jackson, MS 39205-0771. MDE suggests applying December through May so the award arrives before school starts.
  5. MDE reviews eligibility within 21 business days; if your child is awarded, you get an award packet asking you to confirm enrollment, set up the reimbursement account, and send a pre-assessment.
  6. Each quarter, send an itemized reimbursement request (2026-27 due dates: August 31, November 27, February 26 and May 31); MDE pays you or an approved provider.
  7. Each spring, submit the Recertification Form in the parent portal between April 1 and April 30 to keep the scholarship for the next year.

What to have ready

  • Copy of the parent or guardian's driver's license or state ID
  • Copy of the child's birth certificate
  • Legal papers showing authority to act for the child, if the applicant is not the parent on the birth certificate
  • Proof of residency: utility bill, rental agreement or mortgage statement with the parent's name and address
  • Copy of the child's most recent IEP, active within the last three years
  • Copy of the child's most recent eligibility determination or evaluation
  • Original signed Responsibilities of Parent/Guardians page with every box initialed
  • Acceptance letter on school letterhead from an eligible private school

Go to the official application

Steps and limits read on from: Mississippi Department of Education, Education Scholarship Account; MDE, Understanding the ESA, questions and answers (rev. 10/2025); MDE, 2026-27 ESA scholarship application and parent responsibilities. Limits change each year with the federal poverty guidelines, so confirm on the official site before you apply.

Run your own numbers

What would you pay?

We filled in the standard ESA 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. The Mississippi ESA is only for students with an active IEP written by a public school district within three years of applying.

Which schools take it

Mississippi does not publish a school list for the ESA. An eligible school is an accredited or in-state nonpublic school serving the student's disability needs. Ask the school.

Browse private schools in Mississippi

Get one email when applications open

Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state and we will email you the day the next window opens, with the official link. That is the only email you get.

One email per application window. No calls, no sharing your details.

Questions parents ask

How much does ESA pay in Mississippi?

Up to $8,421 for 2026-27. Paid quarterly as reimbursements. The amount is reset each spring based on available funds.

Who is eligible?

Mississippi students with an active IEP developed by a public school district within three years of applying, accepted at an eligible private school.

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 ESA?

Mississippi does not publish a school list for the ESA. An eligible school is an accredited or in-state nonpublic school serving the student's disability needs. Ask the school.

When do I apply?

Applications are accepted year-round. The state suggests December through May so the award arrives before school starts.

Do I have to reapply every year?

No. Families already approved do not submit a new application, but they must file the Recertification Form in the parent portal between April 1 and April 30 each year. Missing it means losing the scholarship.

How is the money paid?

Only by reimbursement, four times a year, to the parent or to an education provider the parent approves. You send an itemized request with receipts; there are no lump sums, and families who pay the year up front are repaid in even parts over the four quarters.

What can the ESA pay for?

Tuition and academic fees at an eligible school, textbooks, certified tutors, curriculum, standardized and AP or college admission tests, licensed therapies, high school dual enrollment, up to $50 a year in supplies, and computer equipment if a school or licensed provider confirms in writing that it is essential.

Can homeschooled students use the ESA?

No. Parents agree not to file a homeschool certificate of enrollment while in the program, and tutoring and therapy payments are not allowed for a student who is homeschooled or enrolled in a public school.

What happens to unused money if my child goes back to public school?

Your child can return to the home district at any time, but enrolling in a public school closes the ESA and any remaining funds are no longer available.

Can my child also use the Dyslexia or Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship?

No. Parents agree not to take part in the Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship or the Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship while the child is in the ESA program.

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