Entertainment electronics: televisions, game consoles, gaming PCs
Phones, smartwatches and personal wearables
Food, groceries and meals
Everyday clothing and shoes; only a participating school's required uniform is ever eligible
Vacations, theme parks and recreational travel
Toys and games without an instructional purpose
Vehicles, bikes, home fitness and recreation equipment
Childcare and babysitting
Paying a parent or guardian to teach their own child
Anything bought before the program approved it, in most programs; a card purchase does not guarantee reimbursement
How a purchase actually gets paid
1
Check the category and the rule
Use the checker above or your state's page. A rule with a cap or a condition is the normal case, not the exception.
2
Find the vendor in the program's route
ClassWallet marketplace or direct pay, Odyssey marketplace, the program portal, or an invoice, depending on the state. Each vendor listing names its route.
3
Submit and wait for the decision
The program reviews the purchase before the vendor is paid. Keep the invoice and any document the rule asks for.
Most programs pay for private-school tuition, curriculum and textbooks, tutoring, testing and educational therapies, and many also cover technology, classes, camps and supplies with conditions. This page checks 16 kinds of expenses against 18 state programs' published rules; the state pages carry each program's own list.
Can I buy a laptop or tablet with ESA funds?
16 of 18 programs allow computers or tablets, usually with a condition such as a spending cap, one device every few years, or a required link to the student's course of study. Conditions apply in AL, AZ, FL, GA, IA, MS, NH, SC, TN, TX, UT, WV. Check your state's rule before buying.
Can I buy homeschool curriculum and worksheets with ESA funds?
Yes in 17 of 18 programs: curriculum, textbooks and workbooks are among the most widely covered expenses. Some programs require the item to come from an approved provider or through the program's marketplace, so buy through the route the program names.
How do I check whether ESA covers a specific lesson?
Choose your state and search the exact lesson, such as piano or swim lessons. 11 of 18 programs allow some music, art or physical-activity lessons, but rules for a specific activity may differ. Read the program's published rule and confirm the purchase before paying.
Can I use ESA funds on Amazon or any store?
Only where the program's platform allows it. ClassWallet and Odyssey programs pay vendors inside their marketplaces or by direct pay to an approved provider; a few programs reimburse receipts after approval. A purchase on a personal card is not guaranteed to be reimbursed.
What happens if I buy something the program does not cover?
The program declines the purchase or the reimbursement, and the family pays for the item. Programs can also require repayment of misused funds and remove a student from the program, so confirm the exact item and the payment route before spending.
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 your program'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.