EFA email update
The efa will be sending an email update regularly with important information. I will blog all of those emails to make sure they are available for referencing and for anyone who is not getting them to locate.
EFA Families,
First of all, we are so glad to have you in our program! Our first two quarters with universal eligibility were a huge success, and we were able to process over $125 million in payments to support educational freedom in Arkansas!
We are very happy with what this program has accomplished so far this school year, and with the great feedback we have received from parents, we are working to make it even better. One of the ways we are hoping to improve this program is to provide more frequent communication with families. Starting with this email, we will be sending out regular updates to address some of the most common issues and questions we are seeing.
Current queue dates
We are currently reviewing submissions from the following dates:
Reimbursement - 12/20/25
Direct Pay - 12/30/25
Marketplace - 1/1/26
If you have a submission from before these dates that has not yet been reviewed, it is likely being given closer consideration. Feel free to reach out to ADE about any reviews that were submitted before these dates.
Eligible and Ineligible Items
Expense eligibility depends on the educational needs of each child. In order to make that determination, we use the Ordinary and Necessary framework to evaluate each item in the context of the information given to us by the parent.
The Ordinary and Necessary framework asks a series of questions that help determine whether an item is educational and whether its educational value justifies its price. To read more about the Ordinary and Necessary framework used to determine expense eligibility, please check out the EFA Parent Handbook.
We have received feedback from parents about the difficulty of judging an expense's eligibility, and we plan to release more guidance on this in the near future.
Marketplace Item Eligibility
Not every item found in the ClassWallet marketplace is eligible for every student. Because of technical and practical limitations, we do not have complete control over what items are offered by vendors. All marketplace items must still be individually reviewed and meet the program's eligibility requirements. Thank you!
Guidance for Submitting Documentation with a Request
Most straightforward educational purchases do not require additional documentation beyond a receipt or invoice. This typically includes curriculum, books, reasonably-priced computers, online classes, and basic school supplies.
Some items, while potentially educational, are also commonly used outside of an educational setting. Examples include kitchen equipment, gardening tools, and 3D printers. In these cases, providing a brief explanation and supporting documentation helps us understand how the item will be used for educational purposes. This might include a curriculum, proof of enrollment in a related course, or a short lesson plan showing the educational use.
Similarly, higher-cost items may benefit from additional explanation, even when the item itself is ordinarily educational. We recognize that students have different learning needs, and some situations call for more specialized or higher-priced tools. When that is the case, an explanation - ideally supported by documentation - helps us fairly and efficiently review the request.
We are working on a new pre-approval system, but in the meantime, if you aren't sure about the eligibility of an item, please request pre-approval by sending a brief explanation and any relevant documentation to ADE.EFA@ade.arkansas.gov.
Helpful Links
Mileage Reimbursement Form (Please make a copy before editing)
Testing Information (everything you need to know about testing!)
Sincerely,
EFA Team