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What is an Education Savings Account (ESA)?
Education savings accounts (ESAs) in K-12 education establish for parents a publicly funded, government-authorized savings account with restricted, but multiple uses for educational purposes. Parents may use the funds to pay for expenses including: school tuition, tutoring, online education programs, therapies for students with special needs, textbooks or other instructional materials, and sometimes, save for college.
Watch the short video below to see how ESAs work for families.
Seventeen States with ESAs
Check out the list below for quick links to those program details, which include approved expense types, family eligibility tests, participation numbers, funding amounts and more.
- AlabamaThe Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education (CHOOSE) Act of 2024 >
- ArizonaEmpowerment Scholarship Accounts >
- ArkansasArkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program >
- FloridaFamily Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options Program >
- FloridaFamily Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (ESA) >
- GeorgiaThe Georgia Promise Scholarship Act >
- IndianaEducation Scholarship Account Program >
- IowaEducation Savings Account Program >
- LouisianaLouisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise (LA GATOR) Scholarship Program >
- MississippiEqual Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Program >
- MontanaMontana Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account Program >
- New HampshireEducation Freedom Account Program >
- North CarolinaEducation Student Accounts (ESA+) >
- South CarolinaSouth Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program >
- TennesseeEducation Savings Account Program >
- TennesseeIndividualized Education Account Program >
- UtahUtah Fits All Scholarship Program >
- West VirginiaHope Scholarship Program >
- WyomingWyoming Education Savings Account Program >
Choice Comparison Tool
This user-friendly platform is designed to help you navigate the diverse landscape of Education Savings Accounts across different states. Whether you’re a parent, student, educator, or policy enthusiast, our tool offers a comprehensive comparison of ESA programs by state and by specific features.
With this tool, you can compare state programs, analyze program features, and make informed decisions.
Fast Facts
Do you know which was America’s first ESA program? Which is the biggest? For more little-known truths about America’s education savings account programs, visit our ESA fast facts.
What types of services are parents purchasing with their children’s ESAs?
Though many ESA families use their funds to pay for private school tuition, 28 percent spend the money on multiple learning services. Collectively, families even saved 31 percent of total ESA funds and accumulated more than $67,000 in college savings plans in 2016. Our Ed Debit Card study examines parent spending data from the nation’s first and oldest ESA program. Check out our study for more details.
Parent Satisfaction with ESA Programs
Researchers have surveyed parents who use the longest-running ESA program in the nation: the Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program. The majority of ESA parents in Arizona are satisfied with their children’s schools, but there is room for states to further improve how these programs work for families. Read more of from this report below.