Student Funding

Use of Funds 

ESA funds for qualifying expenses include tuition and fees at a qualified school; tutoring services provided by an individual or a tutoring facility, but cannot be provided by an ESA student’s immediate family; services contracted for and provided by a public school district, to include individual classes and extracurricular activities and programs; textbooks, curriculum, and other instructional or supplemental materials required for instruction required by a curriculum or education service provider; computer hardware or other technological devices that are primarily used to help meet an ESA student’s educational needs; educational software and applications; school uniforms; fees for standardized assessments, advanced placement exams, and exams for ESA funds for qualifying expenses include tuition and fees at a qualified school; tutoring services provided by an individual or a tutoring facility, but cannot be provided by an ESA student’s immediate family; services contracted for and provided by a public school district, to include individual classes and extracurricular activities and programs; textbooks, curriculum, and other instructional or supplemental materials required for instruction required by a curriculum or education service provider; computer hardware or other technological devices that are primarily used to help meet an ESA student’s educational needs; educational software and applications; school uniforms; fees for standardized assessments, advanced placement exams, and exams for 

Funding Amount and Source  

ESA students will receive an annual maximum of $6,000, disbursed quarterly, for eligible educational expenses. An initial appropriation of $20 million will fund accounts for the program, meaning no more than 3,333 students will be able to participate, or less than 4% of Wyoming’s K–12 student population. Up to 20% of the appropriation is reserved for qualifying participants not less than 4 years of age for up to one year but has not yet reached the age to attend public school in Wyoming. Unused funds are eligible for applicants in K–12. The remaining 80% of the appropriation is to be awarded to eligible K–12 students. For program administration, an additional biennial appropriation for Department of Education employees and contractual services were provided beginning July 1, 2024, totaling $880,000. 

 (Last updated July 15, 2024)  

Student Eligibility

Wyoming’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program is open to prekindergarten through 12th grade students whose family household income does not exceed 150% of the Federal Poverty Level ($46,800 for a family of four in 2024). To participate in the program a child must be a Wyoming resident and eligible to attend a public school in the state. A student cannot participate if they have graduated high school or received an equivalency certificate. Children who are at least 4 years old as of August 1 in the ESA application year, but have not yet reached the age to attend public school in Wyoming, are eligible but must also meet the family income requirements.

 (Last updated July 15, 2024)  

EdChoice Expert Feedback

A program’s universality is measured on three points: Student eligibility, funding amount and source, and use of funds. Eligibility and funding amount and source have been explained above. Here, we explain how funds for this program may be used. ESA funds for qualifying expenses include tuition and fees at a qualified school; tutoring services provided by an individual or a tutoring facility, but cannot be provided by an ESA student’s immediate family; services provided for and provided by a public school district, to include individual classes and extracurricular activities and programs; textbooks, curriculum and other instructional or supplemental materials required for instruction required by a curriculum or education service provider; computer hardware or other technological devices that are primarily used to help meet an ESA student’s educational needs; educational software and applications; school uniforms; fees for standardized assessments, advanced placement exams, and exams for university admission and related prep courses; tuition and fees for summer education programs and specialized after school education programs; tuition, fees, instructional materials and exam fees at career or technical schools; educational services or therapies including occupational, behavioral, physical, speech-language and audiology therapies; tuition and fees at institutions of higher education; fees for transportation; and other educational expenses approved by the state superintendent. ESA students are not required to be enrolled, full-time or part-time in a nonpublic school. (Last Updated - May 21, 2024)

Rules and Regulations

Program Guidelines

• Income Limit: 150% x FPL
• Prior Year Public School Requirement: None
• Enrollment Cap: Limited by $20M Appropriation to 3,333 Total Participants
• Account Cap: $6,000
• Testing Mandates: State or nationally-norm referenced
• Budget Cap: $20 million
• Special Needs Pathway: None

Participant and Family Guidelines

• Click Here for the Program Administrator’s Parent Handbook
• Education Requirements:
• Participating students in K⁠–⁠12 receive instruction in, at minimum, reading, writing, mathematics, civics, including studies of the US and Wyoming constitutions, history, literature and science
• Participating students must take the statewide assessment or a nationally normed achievement exam.
• Parent Supplemented Funds/Scholarships: Allowed
• Disbursement Payment/Frequency: Quarterly
• Reimbursement: Allowed
• Miscellaneous:
  • At least 2% of ESA are subject to annual audit, state will contract for it
  • Annually provide the student’s resident public school district notice of intent to participate in the ESA program
  • Certification that the ESA student is not enrolled in a public school district

Education Provider Guidelines

• Accreditation/Approval: Certified by state superintendent of public instruction, who at minimum determines that ESA students in K⁠–⁠12 will receive instruction in, at minimum, reading, writing, mathematics, civics, including studies of the US and Wyoming constitutions, history, literature and science
• Employment Standards: See “accreditation/approval” above
• Nondiscrimination: Federal
• Calendar/Curriculum/Attendance: Ensure instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, civics, including studies of the US and Wyoming constitutions, history, literature, and science
• Financial: May be required to purchase a surety bond if receiving more than $150,000 in ESA funds
• Miscellaneous: Agree not to refund, rebate or share ESA funds with parents or ESA students, except to the ESA accounts in accordance with procedures established by the superintendent

(Last updated December 18, 2024)

Governing Statutes

W.S. 21-2-901 through W.S. 21-2-909; W.S. 21-4-102; W.S. 21-4-301 and W.S. 21-13-310 

(Last updated July 15, 2024)  

Legal History

This program has not been challenged in court.

(Last updated July 15, 2024)