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Worth Fighting · Education & parental rights

North Carolina School Choice: Eligibility, Awards and Applications

Research baseline: October 10, 2026 · Version 18.1.0 · Selected-state audit

This North Carolina guide covers Opportunity Scholarship and Education Student Accounts (ESA+). It separates published eligibility from awards, school admission and available funding. The record below preserves unresolved details instead of filling them with assumptions.

The decision parents need to make

Opportunity Scholarship

NC-resident K–12 students attending an eligible registered private school.

2026–27 maxima: tier 1 $7,942; tier 2 $7,148; tier 3 $4,766; tier 4 $3,574.

Next 2027–28 application begins first Monday in February (February 1, 2027). Exact 2026–27 closing window not reconciled here.

Education Student Accounts (ESA+)

Eligible NC students with a public-school eligibility determination for special education made within the past three years.

$9,000 base; $17,000 for designated disabilities.

Next cycle starts first Monday in February 2027; program instructions describe priority through first Monday in March.

Eligibility, funding, school requirements and accountability

North Carolina — Opportunity ScholarshipOperating
Official program name
Opportunity Scholarship
Statute / law / rule
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Enacted status
Enacted
Enactment date
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Effective date
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Launch / expansion
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Operating status
Operating
Eligibility model
Broad eligibility; income-tiered awards and funding priorities
Eligible student groups
NC-resident K–12 students attending an eligible registered private school.
Income rule
No income ceiling; household income sets one of four award tiers.
Disability rule
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Prior-public attendance
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Kindergarten rule
At least age five by August 31.
Home education
Home-only instruction is not this tuition scholarship pathway.
Private-school tuition
Yes; required tuition and fees at a registered Direct Payment School.
Current award
2026–27 maxima: tier 1 $7,942; tier 2 $7,148; tier 3 $4,766; tier 4 $3,574.
Award formula
Income tiers and household size using 2025 income; capped by eligible tuition/fees.
Maximum award
$7,942 for tier 1 in 2026–27.
Approved uses
Required private-school tuition and fees.
Restrictions / prohibited uses
Not a general-purpose account for home supplies or unrelated family spending.
Rollover
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Application timing
Next 2027–28 application begins first Monday in February (February 1, 2027). Exact 2026–27 closing window not reconciled here.
Renewal
Returning recipients receive priority; annual program renewal required.
Enrollment cap
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Funding / appropriation
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Lottery / waitlist / priorities
Renewals first; new priority-window applicants selected by lottery with income-tier ordering and available funds.
Administrator
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA)
Account / payment platform
MyPortal; school payment process
Participating-school rules
Registered Direct Payment School; fall enrollment requirement by October 1.
Provider rules
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Assessment requirements
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Audit / reporting
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Parent documents
Identity, residency, school enrollment and income information for the applicable award tier.
Residency
North Carolina residency required.
Misuse controls
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Litigation
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Verified order scope
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Latest reviewed update
Agency hub announces next application cycle for the first Monday in February.
Enrollment / award data
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Actual expenditure
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Evidence gaps
Current appropriation, testing/audit statute text, final enrollment/expenditure and exact 2026–27 application deadline not fully reconciled.

Official evidence for this record

Verified 2026-10-10 · Version 18.1.0 · Link to this record

State context · Official program / application starting point

North Carolina — Education Student Accounts (ESA+)Operating
Official program name
Education Student Accounts (ESA+)
Statute / law / rule
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Enacted status
Enacted
Enactment date
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Effective date
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Launch / expansion
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Operating status
Operating
Eligibility model
Disability-targeted
Eligible student groups
Eligible NC students with a public-school eligibility determination for special education made within the past three years.
Income rule
No income threshold identified in the reviewed ESA+ eligibility guidance.
Disability rule
NC public-school eligibility determination required; a 504 plan alone does not qualify. An IEP itself is not the specified eligibility document.
Prior-public attendance
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Kindergarten rule
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Home education
Permitted, including eligible home/private/co-enrollment arrangements.
Private-school tuition
Yes at approved schools, subject to the relevant payment arrangement.
Current award
$9,000 base; $17,000 for designated disabilities.
Award formula
Disability category determines base or higher award.
Maximum award
$17,000 annual award for designated disabilities.
Approved uses
Approved tuition, therapies, tutoring, curricula and technology; art/music tutoring added for fall 2026 subject to category rules.
Restrictions / prohibited uses
Art/music supplies and curriculum do not become eligible merely because art/music tutoring is allowed.
Rollover
Base $9,000 award does not roll over; higher-award students may carry up to $4,500 with total balance no more than $30,000.
Application timing
Next cycle starts first Monday in February 2027; program instructions describe priority through first Monday in March.
Renewal
Annual parent agreement and program renewal; follow current academic and expense requirements.
Enrollment cap
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Funding / appropriation
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Lottery / waitlist / priorities
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Administrator
NCSEAA
Account / payment platform
MyPortal application / ClassWallet expenses
Participating-school rules
Use participating schools/providers; private-school admission is separate from scholarship eligibility.
Provider rules
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Assessment requirements
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Audit / reporting
At least $500 in annual eligible core-academic spending; purchase documentation and program account review.
Parent documents
Public-school special-education determination, residency, parent agreement and applicable local-school release.
Residency
North Carolina residency required.
Misuse controls
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Litigation
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Verified order scope
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Latest reviewed update
Fall 2026 art/music tutoring change does not count toward the $500 core spending minimum.
Enrollment / award data
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Actual expenditure
Unknown/not verified in this audit
Evidence gaps
Current appropriation, exact cycle deadline, current selection mechanics and complete testing/provider standards require follow-up.

Official evidence for this record

Verified 2026-10-10 · Version 18.1.0 · Link to this record

State context · Official program / application starting point

Application and renewal calendar

North Carolina — Opportunity ScholarshipUpcoming · 2027–28 · Not announced / cycle-specific deadline not verified
School year / cycle
2027–28
Opens
2027-02-01
Application deadline
Not announced / cycle-specific deadline not verified
Renewal deadline
Not located in this audit
Lottery date
Not located in this audit
Award notifications
Not located in this audit
Application status
Upcoming
Calendar interpretation
February 1 is the first Monday in February 2027, the next opening described by the current agency hub. Verify exact priority closing date in the forthcoming cycle.
Official application starting point
Open the official program / application instructions

Official evidence for this record

Verified 2026-10-10 · Version 18.1.0 · Link to this record

North Carolina — Education Student Accounts (ESA+)Upcoming · 2027–28 · Not announced / cycle-specific deadline not verified
School year / cycle
2027–28
Opens
2027-02-01
Application deadline
Not announced / cycle-specific deadline not verified
Renewal deadline
Not located in this audit
Lottery date
Not located in this audit
Award notifications
Not located in this audit
Application status
Upcoming
Calendar interpretation
February 1 is the first Monday in February 2027, the next opening described by the current agency hub. Verify exact priority closing date in the forthcoming cycle.
Official application starting point
Open the official program / application instructions

Official evidence for this record

  • NCSEAA K–12 program hub — Agency program guidance. Reviewed for the October 10, 2026 baseline. Live pages may change. Checked 2026-10-10.
  • ESA+ application instructions — Agency program guidance. Reviewed for the October 10, 2026 baseline. Live pages may change. Checked 2026-10-10.

Verified 2026-10-10 · Version 18.1.0 · Link to this record

Implementation timeline and latest evidence

  • Agency hub announces next application cycle for the first Monday in February.
  • Fall 2026 art/music tutoring change does not count toward the $500 core spending minimum.

Litigation and implementation limits

No controlling current case/order was verified for this state in the selected litigation audit. This does not establish that no lawsuit exists.

Read the litigation tracker and evidence limits

Official state document library

Next steps

Questions and answers

Who qualifies in North Carolina?

Opportunity Scholarship: NC-resident K–12 students attending an eligible registered private school. Education Student Accounts (ESA+): Eligible NC students with a public-school eligibility determination for special education made within the past three years.

Can families use funds for home education?

Opportunity Scholarship: Home-only instruction is not this tuition scholarship pathway. Education Student Accounts (ESA+): Permitted, including eligible home/private/co-enrollment arrangements.

When can families apply?

Next 2027–28 application begins first Monday in February (February 1, 2027). Exact 2026–27 closing window not reconciled here. Next cycle starts first Monday in February 2027; program instructions describe priority through first Monday in March.

Update log

October 10, 2026 — Initial audited release. Added current Iowa half-year window, West Virginia prorated application bands and Wyoming preliminary-injunction reversal. Texas and Tennessee calendar conflicts are documented in their source notes. No automatic future-update claim is made.

Related coverage: Parent rights, FERPA and student privacy · Title IX sports and privacy · Education reporting · Local accountability · Religious freedom · Taxpayer accountability. Corrections: send a documented correction.