ESA Arizona at a glance
Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account is open to every K-12 student in the state, and EdChoice counts 96,802 participating students in 2025-26. Here is the short version as of October 2026.
| Question | Answer |
|---|
| Who qualifies | Any Arizona K-12 student eligible for public school; preschoolers with a disability |
| Typical amount | About $7,000 to $8,000 a year; more for students with disabilities |
| How it is paid | Quarterly deposits into an account you spend through ClassWallet |
| When to apply | Any time from July 1 to June 30 |
| Run by | Arizona Department of Education; funds held by the State Treasurer |
| Homeschool families | Can learn at home with ESA funds, but cannot also file a homeschool affidavit |
Who qualifies for an Arizona ESA
The rule is simple: if your child could enroll in an Arizona public school in kindergarten through 12th grade, your child can apply. There is no income test and no requirement to have attended public school first. Preschool children with a disability qualify too, if they have a MET report, IEP or 504 plan.
Three conditions matter once you are in:
- No public school enrollment. Your child cannot be enrolled full time in a district or charter school while receiving ESA funds. You can apply in advance while still enrolled, as long as you withdraw before money arrives.
- No STO scholarship the same year. Arizona law bars a student from taking a School Tuition Organization scholarship in the same year the ESA contract is signed.
- No homeschool affidavit. ESA students learn under the ESA contract, not under Arizona's homeschool statute. More on that below.
How much is an Arizona ESA worth?
The account receives 90% of the base support level plus the additional assistance your child would generate at a charter school (A.R.S. 15-2402). That formula changes every year with the state budget, so the exact figure depends on grade and need.
- Most students: EdChoice reports that about 65% of ESA students have awards between $7,000 and $8,000.
- Students with disabilities: extra weights apply based on the disability category, which is why the 2024-25 average account was $9,572.
- Payment schedule: the Department transfers money quarterly.
Your award letter shows your child's actual amount. If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, submit it with the application so the higher weight is applied from the start.
How to apply for ESA in Arizona
- Collect documents. Proof of Arizona residency, your child's birth certificate, and any MET report, IEP or 504 plan.
- Apply online through the Department's ESA portal at azed.gov/esa. Applications are accepted July 1 through June 30.
- Watch for the award letter. The law requires a decision within 30 days of a complete application.
- Sign the contract. You agree to use funds for at least reading, grammar, math, social studies and science, and only on approved expenses.
- Withdraw from public school before the first deposit. Applications finished between April 1 and June 30 start on or after July 1.
- Activate ClassWallet and start paying schools and vendors.
ClassWallet: how ESA purchases work
ClassWallet is the payment platform for the Arizona ESA. Families use it three ways: paying a linked private school or tutor directly, shopping vendors that are connected to ClassWallet's marketplace, and, for some purchases, uploading a cart or invoice so ClassWallet pays the vendor. Vendors join through ClassWallet's Arizona ESA sign-up.
A practical tip: before you commit to a curriculum or tutor, check whether they already take ClassWallet payments. If they don't, ask them to sign up. A product you save to your Edulist wishlist is easy to share with a vendor or compare against your balance.
What you can buy with Arizona ESA funds
The statute lists the categories. In plain terms, families most often spend on:
Not allowed: TVs, phones, video game consoles, home audio, and most transportation other than public transit or rideshare to a qualified school. Each product decision belongs to the ESA program, so treat any list, including ours, as a starting point and check the current handbook.
Homeschoolers and the Arizona ESA
This is the part families get wrong most often. You can educate your child at home with ESA money, and many families do. But an ESA student is not legally a homeschooler: the contract requires that you not file an affidavit of intent to homeschool.
The trade is real. ESA families get funding, but they also accept the contract's spending rules, reviews and the subject requirement. Traditional homeschoolers keep Arizona's light-touch homeschool law and pay their own way. Our Arizona homeschool guide walks through the affidavit option.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Starting too early. Withdrawing from public school in spring for an ESA that starts July 1 can leave a gap. Plan the date.
- Missing disability paperwork. Without a MET, IEP or 504 plan on file, your child receives the base amount.
- Buying outside ClassWallet. Out-of-pocket purchases may not be reimbursable. Pay through the platform when you can.
- Mixing ESA and STO. Accepting an STO scholarship in the same year can jeopardize the ESA contract.
- Losing receipts. The Department audits accounts at random, so keep records for every purchase.
Arizona and the federal scholarship tax credit
Arizona has not opted in to the new federal scholarship tax credit as of October 2026; the governor vetoed legislation that would have opted the state in. That matters for 2027 and beyond: Arizona donors can still claim the federal credit by giving to an SGO in a participating state, but Arizona families would not receive federal-credit scholarships unless the state joins. See how the federal scholarship tax credit works and the list of states that have opted in. Arizona's own STO tax credits are unaffected.