Arkansas families gained a powerful funding option when Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed the LEARNS Act into law in March 2023. The law created the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program, which gives every eligible K-12 student roughly $6,864 per year to spend on private school tuition, homeschool curriculum, tutoring, and other approved educational expenses. For parents who homeschool or want to start, that money can cover a full year of high-quality curriculum with room to spare.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know about the Arkansas education freedom account: who qualifies, how to apply, what the funds cover, and how to stretch every dollar across a full school year of curriculum. I will also share a sample budget that shows exactly how far $6,864 goes when you plan wisely.
What Is the Arkansas Education Freedom Account?
The Arkansas Education Freedom Account is an education savings account created under the LEARNS Act (Act 237 of 2023). It works like a debit account funded by the state. Each approved student receives a share of Arkansas per-pupil funding, deposited into a ClassWallet account that parents manage directly.
The program is administered by the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Once approved, parents log into ClassWallet to browse approved vendors, pay invoices, or submit receipts for reimbursement. The state deposits funds quarterly, so you receive four payments spread across the school year.
Think of it this way: Arkansas is giving you the portion of education funding that would have gone to a public school and letting you direct it yourself. You pick the curriculum. You pick the tutors. You decide how your child learns best, and the state helps pay for it.
Who Qualifies for an Arkansas Education Freedom Account?
Starting with the 2025-26 school year, the Arkansas EFA became universal. Every K-12 student in the state is eligible, regardless of family income or prior school enrollment. Your child must meet just two requirements to qualify.
First, the student must be eligible to enroll in an Arkansas public elementary or secondary school. Second, at least one parent or guardian must be an Arkansas resident. There is no income cap, no waitlist priority, and no requirement that your child previously attended public school.
This universal eligibility is a big deal. Many other state ESA programs limit participation to students with disabilities, low-income families, or children leaving underperforming schools. Arkansas opened the door to everyone. Whether you have been homeschooling for years or you are considering it for the first time, your family can apply.
How Much Funding Does Each Student Receive?
For the 2025-26 school year, each approved student receives $6,864. That breaks down to $1,716 per quarter, deposited into your ClassWallet account on a set schedule. The quarterly deposit dates for 2025-26 are August 21, October 28, February 3, and April 14.
For the 2026-27 school year, the amount is expected to increase to approximately $7,200 per student, based on 90% of the state per-pupil foundation funding. The exact figure is finalized each year when the state sets its education budget.
If you have multiple children, each one receives their own EFA. A family with three school-age kids could receive more than $20,000 combined for the 2025-26 year. That is enough to cover a full curriculum for every child with funds left over for tutoring, testing, or technology.
One important detail: funds must be spent within the school year. Unused money at the end of the year does not roll over to the next year automatically, so plan your purchases early and use your full allocation.
What Can You Spend Arkansas EFA Funds On?
The Arkansas education freedom account covers a wide range of educational expenses. Here are the main approved categories:
- Curriculum and textbooks. Print workbooks, digital curriculum subscriptions, eBooks, and other instructional materials are all eligible. This is where most homeschool families direct the bulk of their EFA funds.
- Tuition. Private school tuition at approved schools is covered. Microschool and learning pod fees also qualify if the provider is registered.
- Tutoring. One-on-one or small group tutoring from an approved provider is an eligible expense.
- Testing and assessments. Standardized testing fees, achievement tests, and diagnostic assessments all qualify.
- Technology. Computers, tablets, and educational software needed for coursework are eligible, within reason. Luxury or non-essential tech does not qualify.
- Therapy and special services. Educational therapies such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and specialized instruction for students with learning differences are covered.
- Transportation. Up to 25% of your total EFA funds can go toward transportation costs related to education.
Expenses that are not covered include food, clothing (other than approved school uniforms), household items, entertainment, and travel unrelated to education. Public school tuition and charter school fees funded by the state are also excluded.
The spending flexibility is one of the best features of the Arkansas EFA. You are not locked into one vendor or one curriculum package. You can mix and match materials from different publishers, add online subscriptions, and hire subject-specific tutors, all from the same account.
How to Apply for the Arkansas Education Freedom Account
The application window for the 2026-27 school year opened on March 9, 2026 and runs through June 1, 2026. If you missed previous application periods, this is your chance to apply. New applicants and returning families both use the same portal.
To start your application, visit the official EFA application portal at arkansasefa.com. Create an account, then begin a new application for each child you want to enroll. The process takes about 15 to 20 minutes per child if you have your documents ready.
Documents You Will Need
- Proof of the student's date of birth: A birth certificate works best. You can also use a passport, Medicaid card, immunization record, or a school report card that shows the date of birth.
- Proof of Arkansas residency: An Arkansas driver's license, voter registration card, recent utility bill, mortgage statement, lease agreement, or property tax statement. The document must show an Arkansas address.
Gather these before you sit down to apply. Having everything in front of you makes the process much smoother.
After You Are Approved
Once your application is approved, you will receive access to your ClassWallet account. This is where all your EFA funds live. ClassWallet gives you three ways to spend:
- ClassWallet Marketplace: An online store built into the platform where you can buy from approved vendors directly. Browse, add to cart, and pay using your EFA balance.
- Direct Pay: For vendors who are not on the Marketplace but are registered as Direct Pay providers, you request an invoice from the vendor and submit it through ClassWallet. The platform reviews and pays the vendor on your behalf.
- Reimbursement: For any other eligible purchase, you pay out of pocket and upload your receipt to ClassWallet. After review, the equivalent amount is deposited back into your account or sent to you.
The reimbursement option is particularly useful for homeschool families because it means you can buy curriculum from any store, not just vendors listed in the ClassWallet Marketplace. If you find the right workbook at a local bookstore or an online shop, buy it and submit the receipt.
New 2026 Rules: Sports and Extracurricular Spending
In March 2026, the Arkansas Department of Education proposed updated rules for EFA spending on sports and extracurricular activities. Under the new guidelines, EFA funds can cover dues and registration fees for community or homeschool sports leagues that do not restrict participation based on tryouts or ability.
This is welcome news for families who want their children involved in organized sports. Previously, the rules around athletic spending were unclear, and many families hesitated to use EFA dollars for league fees. The proposed rules clarify that inclusive, community-based sports are an approved expense.
There are limits. Equipment and travel costs for sports are not covered. Leagues that require tryouts or cut players based on ability are excluded. And the overall cap on extracurricular spending remains at 25% of your total EFA funds. Governor Sanders has endorsed the proposed rules, and if approved by the state Board of Education and the legislature, they will take effect for the 2026-27 school year.
Sample EFA Budget for a Full Year of Homeschool Curriculum
One of the most common questions I hear from Arkansas parents is how far $6,864 will actually go. The answer: further than you might expect. Here is a sample budget for a 3rd grader using EFA funds for a complete homeschool year.
Core curriculum (all four subjects): The 3rd Grade Ultimate Bundle from ArgoPrep includes 10 workbooks covering Math, ELA, Science, and Social Studies for $199.99. Every workbook comes with video explanations for each question, so your child gets built-in teaching support even when you are busy with another child or a work call.
Online practice platform: A 12-month subscription to ArgoPrep's K-8 online program adds video lectures, practice quizzes, and drills in Math and ELA for $119.99. That gives your child a second way to practice skills beyond the workbooks.
Standardized testing: Budget about $50 to $75 for an annual achievement test, which many homeschool families use to track progress.
Supplemental reading books: Set aside $100 to $150 for novels, chapter books, and read-aloud titles that support your ELA instruction.
Science supplies and art materials: Hands-on science experiments and art projects are a strength of homeschooling. Budget $100 to $150 for basic lab supplies, craft materials, and project kits.
Here is how that adds up:
- ArgoPrep 3rd Grade Ultimate Bundle: $199.99
- ArgoPrep K-8 Online Program (12 months): $119.99
- Achievement test: $75
- Supplemental books: $150
- Science and art supplies: $150
- Total: $694.98
That leaves more than $6,100 remaining from your $6,864 allocation. You could use the rest for tutoring, additional grade-level workbooks, technology, or enrichment activities later in the year. If you have a 7th grader as well, the 7th Grade Ultimate Bundle is $214.99. A family with two children could cover complete curriculum for both kids and still have thousands left for extras.
Choosing the Right Curriculum with Arkansas School Choice Funding
With nearly $7,000 per child to work with, the temptation is to overspend on flashy programs or sign up for every subscription available. My advice after years of homeschooling is to start with a strong core and add from there based on what your child actually needs.
A complete core curriculum should cover four subjects: Math, ELA, Science, and Social Studies. Look for materials that are aligned to grade-level standards, because that alignment ensures your child is learning what they need to know for their age. ArgoPrep's Ultimate Bundles cover all four subjects for every grade from PreK through 12th, with prices ranging from $179.99 for PreK to $249.99 for 9th grade.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of homeschooled students in the United States has grown steadily over the past decade. Programs like the Arkansas EFA make it easier for families to access quality materials that were once out of reach financially.
The video explanations that come with every ArgoPrep workbook matter more than most parents realize at first. When your child gets stuck on a problem, they can scan a QR code and watch a short video that walks through the solution step by step. That feature turns a workbook into something closer to a tutor, and it gives you breathing room on days when you cannot sit beside them for every question.
For families wanting digital practice alongside print workbooks, the K-8 online program pairs well with the physical books. A 3-month subscription starts at $38.97 if you want to try it before committing to a full year. The 12-month option at $119.99 brings the cost to about $10 per month.
Your Arkansas education freedom account gives you the funding to make these choices without dipping into your family budget. Start with a solid curriculum, add one or two supplements after a month, and adjust as you learn what clicks for your child.
Getting Started with Your Arkansas EFA
The 2026-27 application window is open right now, running from March 9 through June 1. If your child is a K-12 student and you are an Arkansas resident, you qualify. Visit arkansasefa.com to begin your application, gather your documents ahead of time, and plan how you will put those funds to work.
For a curriculum that covers all four core subjects with built-in video instruction, browse ArgoPrep's Ultimate Bundles by grade level. Each bundle is designed to give your child a full year of practice, and every workbook includes video explanations for every question. With EFA funds covering the cost, you can give your child the best materials available and keep the rest of your budget intact.
