North Carolina School Choice (Voucher) Programs
Overview
The Education Student Accounts Program provides up to $17,000 to students eligible for special education services to attend private school or pay expenses while homeschooling.
The Opportunity Scholarship provides up to $4,200 for students to attend private school.
Gastonia Freedom School is a qualified provider for the Education Student Accounts program.
Eligibility
Education Student Account
- Be 5 on or before August 31
- Have an IEP or Determination of Eligibility from the past three years
- Be eligible to attend public school in NC
Additional funds are available if the student has one of the following disabilities listed on their IEP:
- Autism
- Hearing Impairment
- Intellectual or Developmental Disability
- Orthopedic Impairment
- Visual Impairment
See details at https://www.ncseaa.edu/k12/esa/
.
Qualified Expenses
- Tutoring and Teaching Services: instruction from a qualified provider (Gastonia Freedom School is a qualified provider)
- Curricula: materials which support an academic program
- Educational Therapies: such as speech therapy or physical therapy from a qualified provider
- Educational Technology: used primarily for educational purposes for a child with a disability
Expenses will be paid directly to providers by the state.
How to Apply
Apply through the NCSEAA website between February 1 and March 1. https://myportal.ncseaa.edu/NC/login.aspx. If you do not have a MyPortal account you must create one.
You will need an electronic copy of your student’s DEC3 or ECATS Eligibility Determination. You should have received this document at your IEP team meeting at your student’s public school. You can request a copy from the Gaston County Department of Exceptional Children by calling 704-866-6160.
If your student does not have an IEP, call the county as soon as possible and tell them you need an IEP evaluation for a homeschool student. It may take several months to complete this process. You can still apply for the vouchers while waiting to receive the Eligibility Determination.
A medical diagnosis does not qualify your child for these programs. They must be eligible for special education services as determined by the public school system. If your child has not been in public school, you will still need to have them evaluated through the IEP process. At no point will your child be required to enroll in public school.
Gastonia Freedom School is listed as an educational services provider through this program and not a private school. Questions? Email us or call 980-785-4622. We look forward to hearing from you!