What is an Education Success Account

What is the Virginia Education Success Account (ESA)?

Virginia parents will have more flexibility and choices in educating their children. The Virginia ESA allocates a portion of State’s educational dollars to a student for use in meeting compulsory education requirements through other legal means.

How much can my child receive?

The Virginia ESA will allow parents to direct approximately one-third of the State’s per pupil expenditure toward meeting their child’s compulsory education requirements. For the average local school district, the amount is approximately $4,500 each year. The amount is subject to change each year based on the State’s education funding formula.

How can I spend my child’s ESA?

  • textbooks
  • private school
  • private tutoring
  • online learning
  • testing
  • credentialing
  • educational therapy
  • transportation
  • technology
  • college credits
  • and more!

When will the Virginia ESA be available?

Legislation must first be passed by the Virginia General Assembly. Once enacted, the program will most likely be available one school year following enactment. Parents will be able to make application on a schedule like the one used to withdraw a student from public school and place them at a private school or home school.

How many students will be eligible?

The proposed legislation will be open to all K-12 students who are currently not attending a private school or home school and have been in public school for one semester. More than 90% of the student population in Virginia will be eligible immediately upon the General Assembly’s implementation of the program.

How do I know if my child is eligible?

Are you a resident of Virginia?

Is your student entering kindergarten or attended, full-time, a public elementary or high school in the state for the past semester?

If yes to both questions, your child is eligible to receive the Education Success Account!

My child is homeschooled. Are they eligible?

Current homeschoolers and private school students are not eligible unless they return to public school to meet the one semester minimum enrollment period.

I have more than one child. Are they all eligible?

An ESA is allotted for each child, not each family. If you are a resident of Virginia and your child will be in a public-school student for the semester prior to the legislation’s enactment, each of your students is eligible for an ESA.