Many parents don’t realize that an ESA account (Educational Savings Account) is essentially the state giving you back your tax dollars to spend on education that works for your child, such as 1:1 Orton-Gillingham tutoring.
When you send your child to a public school, the state sends money to that school district to educate your child. But with an ESA account (Educational Savings Account), the state takes some of that money and puts it into a “backpack” that stays with your child.
You, the parent, get to decide how to spend that money. You aren’t pulling from the system; you’re simply directing the funds to an environment that works best for your child.
For our brilliant, out-of-the-box thinkers who happen to have dyslexia or ADHD, the traditional “one-size-fits-all” bucket often has a lot of holes in it. An ESA lets you patch those holes.
This is different from a voucher which is usually just for private school tuition. Unlike a voucher, an ESA account is much more flexible. You can use it for:
It’s about choice.
ESA account programs generally fall into two categories, and it’s important to know which one your state offers:
If you’ve been DIY-ing your child’s literacy because you couldn’t afford a specialist, an ESA account might be your best friend. In most states, you have to “withdraw” from the public system to get the funds, but you maintain your freedom to choose your own path. You can keep your favorite history curriculum and use the ESA funds to bring me in 2-3x a week to handle the heavy lifting of reading, writing, and spelling.
I know the paperwork can feel daunting. But one afternoon of “tech-induced gray hair” is worth the thousands of dollars in services your child can receive.
The Literacy Keys is currently an approved ESA vendor in six states. If you live in one of these, listen closely. Most of you are looking at the 2026-2027 school year which starts at the end of this summer. Each state has their own portal. In states like West Virginia and Alabama, the ESA account windows literally just opened this month. In Florida, you’ve got a countdown clock to April 30th. This is your ‘Get it Done’ month so you can have your funding locked and loaded.
Arizona has the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) that is universal. If you aren’t in public school, you qualify. They use a system called ClassWallet to pay vendors. Arizona has a rolling application process with no hard deadline.
Even though it’s rolling, I’m going to encourage you to apply now. Funding starts the quarter they are approved, so the sooner they get in, the sooner they can use those funds for summer sessions at The Literacy Keys.
The Utah Fits All Scholarship is universal and amazing. It’s administered through a platform called Odyssey. The application cycle for 2026-27 school year is active, with a primary deadline for new students around May 1.
Utah’s program has faced some legal “noise” recently, but as of now, it is full steam ahead and you should get your spot in line.
Florida’s program is massive. It’s the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES-UA) for students with unique abilities. They use Step Up For Students to manage the funds. The PEP scholarship (homeschool) has a hard close of April 30, 2026. Other programs (FES-UA for unique abilities) typically accept applications through November, but they are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you’re in Florida, you have about six weeks to get that application in. Don’t wait until the site crashes on April 29th!”
The ESA+ Program is specifically for students with disabilities. It can cover up to $9,000 (or more for certain needs) per year. The priority application window closed on March 2.
HOWEVER, the application remains open so apply immediately. If funds are left over or families drop out, those next in line get the call. And write down the deadline so next year you apply with plenty of time.
West Virginia has the Hope Scholarship, and it is one of the most flexible in the country. New student applications for the 2026-2027 school year opened on March 2, 2026. Families need to apply by June 15th to receive 100% of the funding. If they wait until the fall, the state starts prorating the amount.
The newest member of the club! The CHOOSE Act is rolling out now, and it’s going to be a lifesaver for Alabama families. Like Arizona, they use ClassWallet. The application portal for the 2026-2027 academic year is currently open. For families already in the program, the renewal deadline is March 31, 2026.
When you apply, you’re going to need at least three things:
There’s one thing I want to be very clear about. Vendors are vetted and the states want to see that the ESA Account funds are going toward core academics. The good news? Reading, writing, and spelling are the definition of core academics. One to one tutoring in these subjects is covered.
Because I’m ALTA-certified and Orton-Gillingham trained, my services qualify under the “Educational Therapy” or “Specialized Tutoring” categories in many ESA Account states.
Let’s discuss how the ESA payment works. Most of these states use a “Marketplace” like Odyssey or ClassWallet. Once you’re approved as a family, you’ll log in, find “The Literacy Keys” (or me, Tracy Young), and you can pay for your sessions directly from your account. No out-of-pocket, no waiting for a check in the mail. It’s seamless.
If you don’t see us listed in your state’s marketplace yet, reach out. Sometimes it just takes a quick email to the state to get us added as your preferred provider.
Your child’s brain is capable of amazing things, sometimes it just needs a little bit of specialized “rewiring.” Now, the state might be your fairy godmother.
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