Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program: Everything You Need to Know

What is the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program? 

The Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account (EFA) Program is an education savings account program that will be available to all students in Arkansas for the 2025-2026 school year. 

Arkansas’ EFA Program allows parents to access funding for their student’s education, with the average scholarship being around $6,8 per student. These funds go into an account that allows parents to fund their child's educational experience in ways that best fit their needs. This includes paying for curricula for homeschooling, educational therapies, private tutoring, private school, microschooling, extracurriculars, virtual school, and supplemental education tools and supplies. The program became available to families in the 2023-2024 school year. For the first two years of the program, scholarships were limited to students with specific qualifications. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year the scholarship is open to all Arkansas K-12 students, with no enrollment cap.

How do I apply for an Arkansas EFA?

The application window for the 2025-2026 Arkansas EFA Program will open in early March 2025. You can check on the application availability by visiting Arkansas's EFA site. 

The application process is quite simple and quick to complete. As a parent, you will need to provide details about you and your student. You’ll most likely need your child’s Birth Certificate, Social Security number, and Proof of Residency documents to qualify. You’ll also most likely need proof of identification for yourself and possibly documentation of your household income.

After submitting an application on behalf of your student, you’ll wait to receive notification of a scholarship award. Funding will be deposited into your student’s account after enrollment in a private school or filing a Notice of Intent to Homeschool document has been verified by ADE staff. 

How much funding will my student receive?

Arkansas Educational Freedom Accounts are funded with 90% of the student’s previous year’s state provided public education funding. On average, students currently receive about $6,800. EFA funds are given to students on a quarterly basis. 

Where can I find more information?

Be sure to check out the Arkansas LEARNS Homeschool Families and Arkansas EFA Learns Homeschool Families networking group on Facebook. Also, check out the Reform Alliance’s EFA page for updates and more information. 

Can I use EFA funds for Prenda Microschools in Arkansas?

YES! Prenda will be an approved vendor in Arkansas and families will be able to use their EFA funds. If you're interested in starting a microschool in Arkansas, enter your email below to get instant access a quick video that explains what Prenda is and how we can help you get your microschool up and running. We've helped over 1,000 people start microschools, so we know what it takes! We provide step-by-step training, marketing support, curriculum, and financial services (like invoicing and payment collection) so you can focus on building relationships and inspiring kids to love learning. If starting a microschool isn't something you have the bandwidth for right now, send this post to a friend you think would be a great microschool guide!

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