EFA weekly update
Happy Thursday! Here is your weekly EFA program update:
Current queue dates
We are currently reviewing submissions from the following dates:
· Reimbursement - almost 4/30 (20 left from 4/29)
· Direct Pay - 6/24
· Marketplace - 6/26
· Pre-approvals - 6/16 (with a few before this date pending for further review)
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 if you have submissions from before these dates.
Here are some FAQs from the past week:
Why does my balance in ClassWallet say $0? I thought my funds would roll over.
This is totally normal. The funds have been removed from the 2025-26 purse to allow the transfer to the 2026-27 purse. If you are returning to the program, the funds will be back in your account and available for use on August 3.
What are the funding dates for 2026-27?
These are the tentative funding dates for next year.
Q1 - August 20
Q2 - October 29
Q3 - February 4
Q4 - April 8
I know the recently approved rules require preapproval for reimbursement of non-core expenses. If I want to submit a reimbursement for a non-core expense in August, will I be required to have a pre-approval?
No. We will not be requiring that preapproval when the portal reopens in August. The rules provide a six-month grace period on that rule, and we are using that time period to make improvements to the process that we think will benefit families.
Our team is prioritizing transaction reviews at this time. We also want to have clear review guidelines around the new rules in place before we start processing additional preapproval requests for the 26-27 school year.
I have a new student that will be participating in the program for the first time next year. When will they show up in ClassWallet?
Onboarding for these students is scheduled for August 3.
My test scores were delayed, and I missed the June 30th deadline. What should I do?
Please submit those as soon as possible. Your submission link should still be active. If we do not receive your scores soon, you may not have access to your funds when the portal reopens in August.
Will there be any training for families this summer?
Yes! ClassWallet will have some webinars in late July and early August that we believe will be beneficial for new and returning families. ADE staff will be available to answer program questions during these webinars, but we are also looking at hosting our own information session prior to Q1 funding. More details to come! These webinars will be recorded if you are unable to attend.
I selected a school/homeschool on my application or renewal survey, but my student will be attending somewhere different. How do I update that?
The school that you selected on your application or renewal survey is just for planning purposes. You are not locked into that selection. You will need to link to the correct school or the homeschool vendor in ClassWallet prior to Q1 funding. We will have more information on linking closer to the August 3 reopen date.
You do not need to update the EFA program if you are moving from homeschool to private school or vice-versa. If you know that you will be enrolling in public school in the fall and need to withdraw your student from the EFA program, you can send an email to ade.efa@ade.arkansas.gov.
I want to enroll my homeschool student in some classes or activities at a public school. Will this impact their EFA eligibility?
No, as long as your student is not enrolled full-time at a public school, this will not impact their EFA eligibility.
My student is planning on attending Arkansas Virtual Academy or Arkansas Connections Academy next year. Are they eligible for EFA funds?
No. These schools are public online charter schools. Full-time enrollment in these schools would make your student ineligible for EFA funds.
What is the EFA funding amount for next year?
Non-Succeed - $7208 total; $1802 quarterly
Succeed - $8011 total; $2002.75 quarterly
How can I qualify for the Succeed funding amount?
When the EFA program was created, the Succeed Scholarship program was absorbed into EFA. The Succeed program no longer exists as a separate entity, but former Succeed students will continue to receive funding through the EFA program. Families would already know they are former Succeed students, and there will not be any additional students accepted into this program.
The EFA office will be closed on Friday, July 3. We hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend!
Best,
The EFA Team