The Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account is an ESA program administered by the Arizona Department of Education and funded by state tax dollars. The program deposits approximately 90% of the per-pupil funding a child would receive at a public school into a family-controlled scholarship account. Parents use those ESA funds to pay for approved educational expenses.

Arizona’s ESA program was first established in 2011 for students with disabilities and has since expanded to include all K–12 students. Today, more than 100,000 students are enrolled, making it one of the largest empowerment scholarship programs in the country. Funds are distributed quarterly, and unused ESA funds roll over from year to year.

Arizona’s empowerment scholarship offers universal eligibility. Any child who is an Arizona resident and eligible to enroll in a public school may apply. There are no income requirements and no enrollment caps. Eligible students include:

• Pre-K students with a qualifying disability, IEP, or 504 plan
• K–12 students enrolled in or eligible for a public school, private school, charter school, or homeschool program
• Students with disabilities or special needs, including those in foster care, on Indian reservations, or in a D or F-rated school district
• Students preparing for college or university admission who need additional assistance with exams related to advanced placement examination readiness.

Students cannot participate in the ESA program and receive a tax credit scholarship at the same time. ESA applications are accepted on a rolling basis through the Arizona Department of Education’s portal; there is no deadline.

The empowerment scholarship account provides options for a wide range of educational services and approved expenses. Arizona families can use ESA funds for:

• Private school tuition and fees at a qualified school or school tuition organization
• Tutoring and teaching services from qualified education providers
• Curricula, textbooks, and supplementary materials for core subjects like mathematics, science, and social studies
• Tuition or fees for a nonpublic online learning program or individual classes at an eligible postsecondary institution
• Computer hardware and technological devices, including personal computers and tablets, are used primarily for education
• Fees for achievement tests, including nationally norm-referenced testing and exams related to college or university admission
• Transportation services to a qualified school or education provider

Additional ESA Funds for Students with Disabilities

For qualified students with disabilities or special needs, ESA funds also cover educational therapies from a licensed practitioner, paraprofessionals, educational aides, and assistive technology. All purchases are managed through ClassWallet and must fall within categories approved by the Arizona Department of Education and the state board of education.

ESA funding is calculated at 90% of the state’s per-pupil base funding. For most Arizona families, that means approximately $6,500 to $8,000 per qualified student per year. Students with documented disabilities may be eligible for significantly higher funding based on their eligibility category. Funds are distributed quarterly and deposited into the family’s scholarship account, and unused funds roll over from year to year.

Firefly Tutors accepts Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account funds for in-home tutoring, online tutoring, and pod tutoring across all subjects. Arizona families can use their ESA for core subjects such as mathematics, science, and social studies, as well as for specialized support for students with reading challenges, learning disabilities, or special needs.

Services provided include elementary tutoring in phonics, reading, and math; middle school support in pre-algebra, science, and ELA; and high school and college prep for advanced math, chemistry, and test readiness. We also offer IEP-aligned instruction for students who need additional assistance. Every session is one-on-one, tailored to your child’s unique learning style, and focused on building a strong academic foundation.

• Qualified, experienced tutors who are carefully vetted and background-checked
• Personalized instruction that builds on each student’s strengths
• Flexible scheduling seven days a week, in-home or online
• Progress reports are shared with parents after every session
• Support for all learners, including students with disabilities attending private school, charter school, public school, or homeschool programs

Research shows that one-on-one tutoring can nearly double learning gains compared to group instruction. For Arizona students using ESA funds, personalized tutoring is one of the most impactful ways to support their child’s education.