How to use your
ESA funds.
An Education Savings Account puts your state's per-pupil education dollars in your hands - to spend on tuition, tutoring, curriculum, therapy, and technology. Here's how the money actually works, what it covers, and how to put it toward an online school like Recess Academy.
What an ESA is - and the three things it isn't.
Four kinds of school-choice funding get lumped together as "ESAs." They reach you differently, and that changes what the money can do.
Your state deposits its per-pupil dollars into a restricted account in your child's name. You spend it from a menu - tuition, tutoring, curriculum, therapy, technology. The most flexible option, and what most of our families use.
Tuition-only. The money goes straight from the state to a school, not to an account you control. North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship works this way.
Donors fund a nonprofit in exchange for a tax credit; the nonprofit awards scholarships. Funding depends on donations, not a guaranteed state line item. Missouri's MOScholars is one.
California's independent-study charters give you a portal allotment for secular, standards-aligned materials and enrichment, approved by a credentialed teacher. No cash is paid out.
From application to first class.
The lifecycle is the same almost everywhere. The portal name and the award size change; the shape doesn't.
Apply through your state's portal during its application window. Some states are universal; others gate on income or a documented disability. Windows are firm - and a few programs run a lottery, so applying isn't the same as being funded.
States usually decide within about 30 days and send a contract plus spending instructions. The letter tells you your award amount and which expenses qualify.
Money is released into a restricted account - usually a quarter at a time, not one lump sum. Depending on your state that wallet is ClassWallet, Odyssey, or Step Up's EMA.
Pay an approved school, tutor, or vendor through the portal. That's where Recess comes in - we're an approved provider and we walk you through selecting us.
Most programs keep funding you year to year as long as you stay in good standing and file the required reporting. A few - New Hampshire, Louisiana - make you reapply each year.
What your funds can - and can't - pay for.
Online-school tuition counts in most programs. The fastest way to lose funds is buying something the state never approved.
- Private and online-school tuition
- Tutoring and 1:1 instruction
- Curriculum and textbooks
- Educational therapies - speech, OT, behavioral (disability programs)
- Approved technology and devices
- Standardized, AP, and admissions exam fees
- Approved enrichment classes
- Non-educational items get rejected - and audited. Arizona flagged ~84,000 purchases as unallowed in under a year.
- Technology is often capped (Texas at 10% of the award; Utah once every three years).
- California funds are secular-only, and the purchase order must be approved before you buy.
- Rollover is limited and unspent funds can be clawed back. Confirm the rules for your state.
Indiana is the notable exception - fully online tuition generally isn't directly fundable there, so funds get applied to tutoring, curriculum, and therapy instead. We'll tell you exactly how your program treats an online school before you commit.
Three portals. Four ways to pay.
Your state routes funds through one of three portals. Inside it, there are a handful of ways to actually move money to a provider.
Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina (ESA+)
Texas, Utah, Louisiana, Wyoming
Florida (FES-UA)
Buy inside the portal's store and your balance is debited automatically. No money out of pocket.
Pay an approved vendor flagged in the marketplace directly from your account.
Upload an invoice for a registered school or provider and the portal pays them.
Pay out of pocket, then submit receipts and proof of payment to get it back. Not offered everywhere.
How your funding covers Recess Academy.
We're an approved provider across a growing list of state ESA, scholarship, and charter programs. Your award applies toward tuition up to the full amount - and with tuition from $650/month, many full state awards cover the entire year.
If your state award covers the full tuition, your out-of-pocket can be $0. If your award is smaller - or you're using California charter funds - that funding still applies toward enrollment, and we work out the rest with you on a short intake call. There's no separate application and no income review on our end: your program's rules decide coverage, and we handle the portal selection so you don't have to.
See how coverage worksQuestions parents ask us.
What can I use my ESA funds for?
Tuition (including online school), tutoring, curriculum, approved technology, exam fees, and - in disability programs - educational therapies. Non-educational purchases are rejected and audited. Your state handbook has the exact list.
Can I use ESA money for an online school?
Yes, in most programs - online and virtual school tuition is an approved expense in Florida, Arizona, Missouri, New Hampshire, Louisiana, Utah, and others. Indiana is the main exception, where fully online tuition is generally not directly fundable. The provider has to be approved in your state's portal, which Recess Academy is across the states we serve.
How do I pay a vendor with ClassWallet?
Inside ClassWallet you either buy through the marketplace (your balance is debited automatically), use Direct Pay for a flagged vendor, or choose Pay Vendor and upload the provider's invoice. We walk you through selecting Recess so you don't have to guess.
How does ESA reimbursement work if I pay out of pocket?
In states that allow it, you pay first, then submit an itemized invoice plus proof of payment through the portal and the funds are returned to you. Missing paperwork is the most common reason reimbursements stall. Some portals - Odyssey states like Louisiana and Wyoming - pay providers directly and don't reimburse.
Can I use ESA funds for tutoring and online classes?
Yes. Tutoring and approved online classes are among the most common allowable expenses. Disability programs also cover specialized tutoring and educational therapy.
How much money does an ESA give per year?
It varies a lot by state and by whether your child qualifies for a disability tier - roughly $4,300 in New Hampshire, $7,000-$8,000 in Arizona, about $10,000 in Florida, and up to $30,000 for a qualifying disability in Texas. Amounts change yearly, so confirm with your state administrator.
Can I use ESA funds for a computer or internet?
Approved technology is usually allowed, but often capped - Texas limits it to 10% of the award, and Utah allows a device purchase once every three years. Check your state's cap before you buy.
Do I have to use approved vendors, and how do I find them?
Yes - funds only flow to providers registered in your state's portal. Recess Academy is an approved provider across the states we serve. If you don't see us listed, email [email protected] and we'll help.
We'll confirm what your
funding covers - for free.
Tell us your state and your child's grade. We'll walk through your award letter, confirm coverage, and map out next steps. A real person, within one business day.
Parenting a child with ADHD? See how these funds work for an ADHD-focused school.