English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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Arkansas EFA 2026-27: $7,208 and how the quarterly payments work
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
The 2026-27 Arkansas EFA is about $7,208 per student. ADE pays it as four quarterly ClassWallet deposits of $1,802, in August 2026, October 2026, February 2027 and April 2027. The state reserves 1.85% for ClassWallet fees before each deposit shows, and unused money rolls over.
Where the $7,208 comes from
The department's EFA rule ties the award to state school funding: each account gets 90% of the prior year's statewide foundation funding per student. For 2026-27 the Family Handbook puts that at about $7,208 per student; its overview rounds it to approximately $7,200.
The amount is the same for every student on the account, whether they are in private school or homeschool. It is a gross figure, which matters for the next section.
The four deposits
ADE splits the year into four deposits so that families budget across the year. The Family Handbook for 2026-27 gives these approximate dates, and says they can shift slightly.
- Quarter 1: August 2026, $1,802.
- Quarter 2: October 2026, $1,802.
- Quarter 3: February 2027, $1,802.
- Quarter 4: April 2027, $1,802.
- Each quarter: accept the ClassWallet affidavit before the funds show.
The 1.85% ClassWallet fee
Under the state's contract with ClassWallet, each DirectPay transaction carries a 1.85% fee. Instead of taking it from each purchase, the state reserves 1.85% of the award before each deposit shows. So a $1,802 quarter shows as a little under $1,770 to spend.
Any part of that reserve that was not used, for example on marketplace purchases that carried no fee, is added back to the account for the next school year after 30 June.
Rollover and mid-year changes
Unused money rolls from one quarter to the next within the year. The Family Handbook says it can also carry into the next school year, up to a limit ADE sets, rather than going back to the state. If a student leaves the programme mid-year, the later quarterly deposits stop.
For a family planning college-level courses, rollover means you do not have to spend a quarter's money in that quarter. You can buy a plan in one quarter and spread the courses across the year.
Planning course costs inside one quarter
A single quarter is enough for most college-level course plans. UPI Study's homeschool lifetime plan is $250 once per family and covers every course, so it fits inside one quarterly deposit with room left for curriculum and testing. Monthly plans from other providers repeat each month, so total them for the months your student will need.
Whatever you buy, keep the invoice and a note of the course name and dates. Every EFA purchase can be reviewed, and records make that easy.
A simple way to plan is to write the year out by quarter: what the student will study, what each item costs and which deposit pays for it. Course plans, curriculum and the annual test usually come first; supplies and extras can wait for later quarters once you see what is left.
- Check the spendable balance after the fee reserve.
- Price the whole plan, not just one month.
- Keep invoices and course records with your EFA files.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the college your student plans to attend in writing whether it would consider each course via a partner college transcript, and ask ADE in writing if you are unsure whether a purchase qualifies.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
When are the 2026-27 Arkansas EFA deposits?
The Family Handbook gives approximate dates of August 2026, October 2026, February 2027 and April 2027, with $1,802 each quarter. Each quarter you accept the ClassWallet affidavit before the funds show. ADE says dates can shift slightly, so watch its emails and your ClassWallet dashboard.
Why is my ClassWallet balance less than $1,802?
The state reserves 1.85% of the award for ClassWallet transaction fees before each deposit shows, so the spendable amount is a little under $1,802. Unused parts of that reserve, such as on purchases that carried no fee, are added back for the next school year after 30 June.
What happens to EFA money we do not spend this quarter?
It stays in ClassWallet for later quarters in the same year. The handbook says unused funds can also carry into the next school year up to a limit ADE sets. If your student leaves the programme mid-year, the remaining quarterly deposits are not paid.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
College Algebra
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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US History 1
Self-paced online US History 1 course (HIST 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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How to pay UPI Study through ClassWallet, step by step.
Sources
- DESE Rule Governing the Educational Freedom Account Program (effective 10 Aug 2024) (official)Programme established under Arkansas Code 6-18-2501 et seq.; 2.16.11 fees for courses and associated assessments for college credit are a qualifying expense; 5.06 award equals 90% of prior-year foundation funding; 7.04 service providers apply on a rolling basis. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Arkansas EFA Family Handbook 2026-2027 (Version 1.0, September 2026), linked from the ADE EFA page (official)About $7,200 per student in 2026-27; quarterly example $7,208 a year = $1,802 a quarter; deposits Aug 2026, Oct 2026, Feb 2027, Apr 2027; 1.85% ClassWallet fee reserved before funds show; unused funds roll over; dual-credit coursework during high school is a qualifying expense; homeschool families file a Notice of Intent and arrange annual testing. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Arkansas Department of Education: Education Freedom Accounts (official)The 2026-2027 programme, ClassWallet login, family handbook, participating service providers list and application for new EFA service providers and vendors. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.