TL;DR: ESA+ pays $9,000, or $17,000 for five listed disabilities, and needs a public-school eligibility determination rather than an IEP. At least $500 a year must go to core academics. 8 of 9 Charlotte-area special education schools are on the 2026-27 Direct Payment list.
How much does ESA+ pay a Charlotte student in 2026-27?
ESA+ pays $9,000 a year in the base award and $17,000 a year in the higher award. ESA+, short for Education Student Accounts, is North Carolina's education savings account for K-12 students with a disability, and NCSEAA administers it alongside the Opportunity Scholarship.
The higher award applies when one of five disabilities appears as a primary or secondary disability on the student's eligibility determination, as Article 41 of Chapter 115C spells out. The statute halves both amounts for eligible part-time students.
| Feature | Base award | Higher award |
|---|---|---|
| Annual amount | $9,000 | $17,000 |
| Part-time amount | $4,500 | $8,500 |
| Qualifying disabilities | Any qualifying special education eligibility | Autism, hearing impairment, moderate or severe intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment, visual impairment |
| Unspent money at year end | Returns to NCSEAA | Up to $4,500 rolls over; account capped at $30,000 |
Who qualifies for ESA+ in Mecklenburg, Union, Cabarrus and Gaston?
A student qualifies with a special education eligibility determination issued in the last three years by a North Carolina public school, or a Department of Defense school in the state. NCSEAA is explicit that an IEP is not required; the eligibility determination document is.
The student must be in kindergarten through grade 12 and living in North Carolina on the first day of school. Families who have never had a public school evaluation should request one from their home school first, because without that document an application will not go anywhere. Parents of full-time private or home school students also sign an LEA release, pausing public school special education services while the account is funded.
What is the $500 academic spending rule?
Every ESA+ family must spend at least $500 per student per year on core academics to renew. Tuition counts, as do curriculum, tutoring, textbooks and standardized tests in math, science, English language arts and social studies.
Several popular categories do not count toward that $500: educational therapy, educational technology, transportation, foreign-language curriculum and the newly added art and music lessons. A family that spends its entire account on speech therapy and a laptop could therefore miss the renewal requirement. Plan the $500 first. Our ESA+ spending guide marks which categories count.
ESA+ vs the Opportunity Scholarship: which fits a student with a disability?
They do different jobs. The Opportunity Scholarship pays only required tuition and fees at a Direct Payment School, between $3,574 and $7,942 depending on income. ESA+ pays $9,000 or $17,000 regardless of income and can also cover therapy, tutoring, curriculum, technology and transportation, including for home-schooled students.
Families may apply for both. If your child has a qualifying eligibility determination, ESA+ is usually the larger and more flexible account. Ask NCSEAA how the two would apply to your child's tuition before you plan around both.
What's new for 2026-27, and what can ESA+ still not buy?
The headline change is art and music. From fall 2026, ESA+ can pay SEAA-enrolled providers for visual arts, dance, theater and music lessons, classes and camps. Supplies, instruments' consumables, curricula and competition fees remain off-limits, and martial arts, gymnastics and cheer are not treated as art.
Other standing exclusions include internet and cell service, game consoles, used or leased devices, chiropractic care and next year's enrollment fees. Technology is limited to one computer, one tablet and one interactive whiteboard every three years.
How does ESA+ money move during the year?
Through ClassWallet and twice-yearly school payments. Direct Payment Schools receive ESA+ tuition in the fall and spring; home-school purchases and provider payments run through ClassWallet, which closes for the year around the third week of June. Families can prepay summer services through August 31, or pay July and August services after ClassWallet reopens using rollover or new-year funds.
There is a tax wrinkle too. NCSEAA reports non-tuition ESA+ spending on Form 1099-G for the prior calendar year, and North Carolina allows a deduction on the state return only when those funds were included in federal adjusted gross income. Ask a tax professional how it applies to your family.
Where are Charlotte's schools for learning differences?
Most sit along the Providence Road corridor in south Charlotte. The federal survey classifies 9 schools in the four counties as special education programs, and 8 of them are on the 2026-27 Direct Payment list, which means ESA+ can pay their tuition directly.
| School (federal survey name) | City | Grades | Students reported | On 2026-27 list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Fletcher School | Charlotte | K-12 | 292 | Yes |
| The John Crosland School | Charlotte | K-12 | 97 | Yes |
| Philips Academy | Charlotte | 6-12 | 55 | Yes |
| Ignite Achievement Academy | Charlotte | 1-12 | 53 | Yes |
| Crossway Academy | Charlotte | K-8 | 49 | Yes |
| The Halton School | Huntersville | 2-8 | 32 | Yes |
| Cyzner Institute | Charlotte | PK-8 | 27 | Yes |
| Epiphany School of Charlotte | Charlotte | 4-8 | 20 | Yes |
| Shands School | Matthews | 4-7 | 4 | No |
See every one with its grades and enrollment on our schools for learning differences page.
Frequently asked questions
How much is ESA+ for a Charlotte student in 2026-27?
The base award is $9,000 a year and the higher award is $17,000 for autism, hearing impairment, moderate or severe intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment or visual impairment. Part-time students receive half.
What is the ESA+ $500 rule?
Each ESA+ student needs at least $500 a year spent on tuition or core-subject curriculum, tutoring, textbooks or testing to renew.
Can ESA+ pay for art and music lessons?
Yes, starting in fall 2026, from SEAA-enrolled providers. Those lessons do not count toward the $500 rule.
Do Charlotte special education schools accept ESA+?
8 of the 9 Charlotte-area schools the federal survey classifies as special education programs are on the 2026-27 Direct Payment list, which lets ESA+ pay their tuition.
Related questions
- Who qualifies for ESA+ in Charlotte?
- Does ESA+ pay for speech, OT or ABA therapy?
- Which Charlotte schools focus on learning differences?
- Can ESA+ pay a tutor or music teacher?
Sources
- NCSEAA ESA+ Scholarship
- NCSEAA ESA+ Program Rules and Requirements
- NCSEAA ESA+ Parent Guide to Allowable Expenses 2026-27
- G.S. 115C, Article 41 (ESA+ statute)
See what my family qualifies for →
