Arizona ESA Funding Chart and Funding Dates: 2026-27 Special Needs Guide

The Empowerment Scholarship Account is a state-funded account run by the Arizona Department of Education. Eligible students receive 90 percent of the state funding Arizona would have spent on them in their local public school. ADE's 2025-26 chart estimates $7,105 to $10,540 a year for grades 1-12 students without a disability, and up to $47,725 for autism and for multiple disabilities with severe sensory impairment. ADE's handbook: “The ESA program allows parents and guardians of qualified students to utilize state tax dollars through Empowerment Scholarships to purchase educational materials and services from educational and retail vendors, private schools, and a variety of education service providers.”

ADE accepts a public-school IEP, MET report or 504 plan, or an independent educational evaluation (IEE) from a qualified examiner: a licensed physician (MD or DO), psychiatrist or psychologist. Public-school documents need the signature page with at least one signature from someone other than the parent. An IEE needs a copy of the examiner's license showing it was current on the evaluation date. The handbook: “IEEs must include a copy of the qualified examiner's license showing that the license was current at the time of the evaluation.”

Funding follows the Group B weights in A.R.S. § 15-943. Autism, multiple disabilities and severe intellectual disability carry a weight of 6.024 (resource) or 5.988 (self-contained), and ADE's 2025-26 estimate is $34,121 to $47,725 a year. Multiple disabilities with severe sensory impairment (7.947) runs $42,960 to $47,725. SLD, SLI, OHI (where ADHD often qualifies), DD, ED and MilD share a 0.292 weight, about $8,423 to $12,001. Students in kindergarten through grade 3 add $150 to $200 (K-3 weight 0.060), and English language learners add $100 to $150 (ELL weight 0.115). Your exact amount depends on grade level and district. The handbook: “Final Empowerment Scholarship amounts cannot be determined until amounts associated with current-year funding factors are finalized in Quarter 1 of each fiscal year.”

Yes, for students with a disability. A.R.S. § 15-2402(B)(4)(c)(i) allows educational therapies from a licensed or accredited provider. For ABA, ADE accepts a BCBA, BCBA-D, BCaBA, licensed psychologist or licensed counselor, and you upload a legible, unexpired copy of the credential. Invoices must include dates of service, itemized charges and the provider's license number. The handbook: “However, to receive purchase approval for educational therapies, Account Holders must provide a copy of the valid license or accreditation of the individual providing the therapy or therapeutic service.” It also says: “No screenshots from the accrediting organization will be accepted.”

Yes. ESA funds can pay a licensed or accredited therapy provider directly, and if a health insurance policy pays part of the cost, A.R.S. § 15-2402(B)(4)(c)(i) lets the ESA cover the amount insurance doesn't. Upload a statement or invoice showing the uncovered amount. The handbook: “Documentation must include a statement or invoice indicating the amount not covered by insurance.”

No. A.R.S. § 15-2402(B)(3) bars accepting a School Tuition Organization scholarship in the same year you sign an ESA contract. If you accept an STO scholarship after signing, the student must leave the ESA program and ADE closes the account. If you are switching from an STO to an ESA, repay the STO scholarship before you sign the ESA contract. The handbook: “If after signing an ESA contract, an Account Holder concurrently accepts an STO scholarship for an ESA student, the Account Holder must withdraw his or her student from the ESA program and the ESA will be closed.” And: “Conversely, if a student is receiving an STO scholarship and the student's parents or guardian decides to switch to an ESA, the parents or guardian must repay the STO the scholarship amount before signing an ESA contract.”

No. Under 34 CFR § 300.137(a), a child with a disability in the ESA program has no individual right to the special education and related services they would receive in public school, and private schools decide what supports they offer. You can withdraw from the ESA at any time and re-enroll in your public school to restore those services. The handbook: “Nevertheless, children with disabilities who participate in the ESA program may still receive certain special education services from their district of residence”.

ADE's 2025-26 funding chart lists the qualifying categories and their estimated yearly amounts, and the category on your child's current IEP, MET report, 504 plan or IEE decides the row. For grades 1-12 the groups are autism, MD and SID ($34,121 to $47,725 a year); MD-SSI ($42,960 to $47,725); HI, VI, MoID, ED-P and OI ($21,780 to $41,294); DD, ED, MilD, SLD, SLI and OHI ($8,423 to $12,001); TBI ($7,247 to $8,182); preschool severe delay ($13,261 to $14,223); and a 504 plan ($7,105 to $9,916). Preschool and kindergarten students with a disability other than preschool severe delay get half the listed amount.

Not yet, as of November 3, 2026. ADE's ESA Guidance page links its approximate funding chart, and the version ADE posted in April 2026 covers the 2025-26 school year. Treat those figures as estimates for 2026-27 until ADE posts a new chart. The guidance page: “We have a chart available: Approximate ESA Funding Amounts”.

ADE requests quarterly funds for accounts in good standing between the 15th and the 30th of the month each quarter, and the money takes 5 to 7 business days after the request to appear. The quarters run July 1 to September 30, October 1 to December 31, January 1 to March 31 and April 1 to June 30. For a new account, ADE's handbook says it takes approximately 3-5 weeks for all parties (ADE, ClassWallet, AZ Treasurer) to create and fund a new ClassWallet account, and ADE's ESA Guidance page says approximately 3 weeks (both checked October 21, 2026). The guidance page: “Existing ESA accounts that are in good standing will have quarterly funds requested by the Department between the 15th and the 30th of the month each quarter.”

The allowable items list is part of the ESA Parent Handbook, which ADE posts on its ESA Parent Handbook page at azed.gov/esa/parent-handbook. The State Board of Education approved the 2026-27 handbook on March 30, 2026. Download the handbook from that page; the allowable expense rules and therapy credential requirements are inside it. The handbook says revisions are posted online: “This list is not exhaustive, any revisions to the allowable list will be available at https://www.azed.gov/esa/esa-support.”