Education Student Accounts (ESA+) Program
Education Student Accounts (ESA+) Program
Program Announcement
Families who applied for ESA+ and submitted the required document during the priority period (February applications) were notified by email of their award status on May 4.
Check your email or MyPortal if you are unsure of your award or waitlist status. Families have three weeks from May 4 to accept or decline an award offer in MyPortal. Families who do not respond by the deadline will lose their award offer.
If an award becomes available, we will begin offering awards to students from the waitlist in late May. Award offers will be made in order of the student’s waitlist number via an email notification from MyPortal. Eligible students in families who applied after March 1 will be considered, if funding permits, after waitlisted students.
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
Important Dates
Application opens February 1, 2023. 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
List of ESA+ Reimbursement Schools
Educational Technology Guidelines
Webinars
ESA+ Overview: An Introduction to the Program and the Parent Agreement
ESA+ Students at Schools Not Paid Directly by SEAA
ESA+ and Opportunity Scholarship: Choosing or Changing Your School
ESA+ and Home Schools: Qualified Expenses and Shopping on ClassWallet
ESA+ and Opportunity Scholarship: Dual Enrolled Students
ESA+ for Summer 2023 Expenses: How to Plan Ahead
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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.