A growing number of states fund Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) for students with disabilities, often $10,000–$34,000 per child. The money frequently covers far more than tuition: therapy (speech, OT, ABA), tutoring, curriculum, and technology. The trick is knowing your state's program and its approved-expense list.
Typical award: ~$7,000–$8,000 general; higher for students with disabilities
Can be spent on: tuition, therapy, tutoring, curriculum, and more (approved list)
Full Arizona details →Typical award: ~$10,000 average; up to ~$30,000+ for the highest-need students
Can be spent on: private tuition, speech/OT/PT/ABA therapy, tutoring, curriculum, technology
Full Florida details →Typical award: varies by student's prior public-school funding
Can be spent on: private school tuition (scholarship/voucher)
Full Georgia details →Typical award: up to ~$17,000 for students with the highest needs
Can be spent on: tuition, therapy, tutoring, curriculum, technology
Full North Carolina details →Typical award: Autism Scholarship up to ~$32,000/yr; Jon Peterson varies by disability category
Can be spent on: special-education services and tuition at approved providers
Full Ohio details →Typical award: ~$10,000 (more for students with disabilities), per program rules
Can be spent on: tuition, therapy, tutoring, materials (per approved list)
Full Texas details →In our currently-detailed states, these don't have a broad special-needs ESA yet: California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington. A federal tax-credit scholarship (ECCA) is also slated to begin in 2027 in participating states, worth watching.
Ask the community; parents who've used their state's ESA can tell you exactly what's reimbursable and how to apply.
Join the communityPlain-language help for parents new to all this, plus an occasional genuinely useful note. No spam.
General information, not legal/financial advice. Programs, amounts, and eligible expenses change and vary by state, so confirm with the official program before relying on it.