Last verified: October 2026
Can the Opportunity Scholarship pay for homeschooling in Charlotte?
No. The Opportunity Scholarship is paid only to a Direct Payment School that keeps an in-person campus in North Carolina, so a home school cannot receive it.
Online-only programs run into the same rule. If you are drawn to a virtual Christian school such as American Faith Academy (AmFaith), check with NCSEAA what, if anything, a state account can pay toward it.
Can ESA+ pay for homeschooling?
Yes. A home-schooled ESA+ student can use the full $9,000 or $17,000 on curriculum, tutoring, therapy, technology and testing, as long as $500 goes to core academics.
Purchases go through the ClassWallet Marketplace and SEAA-enrolled providers. Household consumables such as paper, pens and printer ink are excluded, and devices are limited to one of each every three years.
What about hybrid and microschool options?
A hybrid or microschool that registers as a nonpublic school and joins the Direct Payment list can take the Opportunity Scholarship. Several small programs on the region's 2026-27 list call themselves microschools or learning centers in their registered names.
Which ESA+ categories can a home school use?
| Category | ESA+ status | Counts toward $500 |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum & core textbooks | Allowed | Yes |
| Educational & assistive technology | Allowed with limits | No |
| Educational therapy (speech, OT, ABA and more) | Allowed | No |
| Tutoring, art & music lessons | Allowed | Yes |
| Standardized tests, AP & college entrance exams | Allowed | Yes |
| Transportation to school and services | Allowed with limits | No |
Home school family vs Direct Payment School family
| Home school family | Direct Payment School family |
|---|---|
| ESA+ only, full award on allowable expenses | Opportunity Scholarship and/or ESA+ |
| Signs an LEA release if using ESA+ | Signs an LEA release if full-time ESA+ |