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What does Montana ESA cover?
Search a specific purchase against Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account's published expense rules.
Is it covered by Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account?
Type what you want to buy, for example a product name, a class or a service. We check it against the program's published expense rules and show the rule.
Your state's program makes the final decision. A purchase made with your own card may not be paid back.
Check a specific Montana ESA expense
Wondering whether Montana ESA covers a laptop, homeschool curriculum, tutoring, swim lessons, piano lessons or speech therapy? Enter the exact item in the checker above. Then review the program rule and payment conditions before buying.
All expense categories and Montana rules
Every category, with the Montana rule
Covered: usually coveredDepends: covered with conditionsNot covered: usually not coveredNot stated: not stated by the program
- Not stated
Private school tuition & fees
Prior handbook allowed qualified school tuition/fees, but a Dec. 2025 court ruling found the funding structure unconstitutional; 2026-27 status unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Online school & virtual courses
Prior handbook allowed 'electronic educational program or course or distance learning'; 2026-27 availability unconfirmed amid litigation..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Curriculum, textbooks & workbooks
Prior handbook allowed 'curriculum materials'; 2026-27 availability unconfirmed pending the funding dispute's resolution..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Reading books & e-books
Prior handbook allowed textbooks/fees as part of qualified school materials and eligible postsecondary textbooks; 2026-27 status unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
School supplies & consumables
Prior handbook capped consumable supplies (paper, pens, markers) at $50/year; 2026-27 availability unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Computers, tablets, software & internet
Not a separate prior category (school 'software' was included); OPI's year-end guidance directed districts to end 2025-26 ESA enrollments..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Tutoring
Prior handbook allowed tutoring; 2026-27 availability unconfirmed while the funding structure is under court challenge..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Classes, co-ops & camps
Prior handbook allowed public-school classes/extracurriculars and cooperative-program fees; camps not addressed; 2026-27 status unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Music, art & sports lessons
Not addressed in the prior handbook's allowable list; 2026-27 status unconfirmed amid program suspension uncertainty..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Educational therapies
Prior handbook allowed occupational/behavioral/physical/speech/audiology therapy from licensed providers; 2026-27 availability unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Testing, exams & evaluations
Prior handbook allowed state/nationally recognized assessments, AP exams, and postsecondary entrance exams; 2026-27 status unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
College courses, dual enrollment & CTE
Prior handbook allowed tuition/books/fees at an in-state accredited postsecondary institution; 2026-27 status unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Transportation
Prior handbook allowed transportation tied to another allowable service, reimbursed at the federal per-diem rate; 2026-27 status unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
School uniforms
Not listed as allowable or unallowable in the prior handbook; 2026-27 status unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Field trips, museums & educational travel
Not addressed in the prior handbook's allowable/unallowable lists; 2026-27 status unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25. - Not stated
Desks, instruments & learning equipment
Prior handbook excluded large/commercial equipment (trampolines, greenhouses, appliances); smaller instructional equipment unaddressed; status unconfirmed..
Rule as PencilGo read it on 2026-09-25.
Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account explicitly excludes: entertainment / primarily noneducational devices; gift cards of any kind; day care fees; medical services, supplies, medications, vitamins; chiropractors, massage therapy, acupuncture; weapons and ammunition; live animals; large recreational equipment (trampolines, pools, bounce houses).
Next
Before buying: The program decides whether the exact item and payment route qualify. A direct card purchase may not be reimbursed.
More about ESA purchase decisions
Provider approval or a marketplace listing does not approve every product or confirm that a funded purchase can be made. Check Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account's current rules and payment route before buying; a direct card purchase does not guarantee reimbursement. This hub is educational information, not legal, tax or eligibility advice. PencilGo is independent of state agencies.