Education Student Accounts (ESA+) Program
Education Student Accounts (ESA+) Program
Program Announcement 5/2/24 –The NC General Assembly is considering legislation (House Bill 823) to provide additional funding to the Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ programs. This legislation has several additional steps needed before it can become law, and there is no deadline by which action must be taken. Should the bill become law, and additional funding become available, SEAA will begin awarding eligible students with applications received during the priority period (February 1-March 1) in accordance with our awarding process as soon as possible. After awards are offered to the students from the priority period, and should funds remain available, the application could re-open. Parents who did not apply during the priority period can sign up here to be notified. These families will receive an email with instructions to complete an application at that time. We will also post any updates on SEAA’s website.
Program Overview
North Carolina’s Education Student Accounts (ESA+) program is available to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Funds may be used to pay tuition and fees for eligible private schools, and for expenses such as speech therapy, tutoring services, and educational technology.
- $9,000 annual award; students with certain designated disabilities may be eligible to receive $17,000 a year
- Families may choose from a variety of learning environments, including private schools, home schools, or co-enrollment
- Eligibility based on documentation of a disability and other program requirements
Please note: an eligibility determination issued by a North Carolina public school is required as part of the application process.
Important Dates
Application opens February 1, 2024. The priority deadline is March 1. The application may remain open after March 1, subject to the availability of funds.
Need More Information?
Resources
Program Eligibility Requirements
Educational Technology Guidelines
Webinars
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Additional Questions?
1-855-330-3955 (K12 Program staff toll-free)
1-855-763-5333 (Login Help toll-free)
Nonpublic Schools and Special Education
Children who are placed in a nonpublic school by their parents do not have a right to receive all of the special education and related services that they would receive if enrolled in the public schools. Likewise, a private school does not have a legal obligation to provide special education and related services to students with disabilities. Parents are encouraged to select a nonpublic school carefully and to establish a plan prior to enrollment which meets their child’s educational needs.
Did you Know?
Parents of children with disabilities may have another option to help save and pay for education expenses at K12 schools through the use of an NC ABLE Account. The NC ABLE Program allows eligible individuals the opportunity to save and fund a variety of qualified disability expenses, including certain education expenses. The NC ABLE Program is overseen by the Department of the State Treasurer and additional information can be found here.