Overview
Educational Spending Accounts or Microgrants(ESAs) allow eligible families to use state-provided funds for educational opportunities such as educational therapies, tutoring, and more. In select states, including Arizona, Indiana, North Carolina, Texas, and New Hampshire, Outschool is an approved vendor for their ESA and microgrant programs, and you may be able to shop for classes on your state’s ClassWallet marketplace. This article will cover frequently asked questions and answers for prospective ESA and microgrant families.
How does it work?
First, you’ll need to qualify and apply for your state’s ESA program (see approved state programs here) to gain access to state funds. Once you’ve been granted the scholarship from the state, you’ll gain access to an ESA marketplace called ClassWallet. As an approved vendor, you can use your ESA funds to purchase Outschool classes on ClassWallet.
When you click on Outschool from ClassWallet, you’ll be directed to your Outschool account to purchase classes with your ClassWallet funds.
Parents can use their ClassWallet funds to purchase a single class, or they can add classes to their Learner Planner and purchase multiple classes with one ClassWallet order. The Learner Planner shopping cart is currently available for live group and self-paced classes only. Tutoring classes will need to be purchased separately (see instructions below).
Once your ESA program has approved your order, you’ll receive an email from both ClassWallet and Outschool confirming the enrollment. You can then access the class at start time through your Outschool account as usual.
How do I know if I’m eligible?
If you currently qualify for Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program, Indiana's Education Scholarship Account (ESA) Program, North Carolina’s Education Student Accounts (ESA+) program, Texas’ Parent-Directed Special Education Services (PDSES) program, or the New Hampshire Education Freedmon Account program, you can access Outschool classes on ClassWallet.
How do refunds work when I purchase on ClassWallet?
When you receive a refund from Outschool for a class purchased via ClassWallet, you’ll receive a confirmation email immediately, but these refunds are processed slower than regular Outschool refunds. Note it may take up to 14 business days for refunds to be reflected on your ClassWallet balance. If you haven't seen your refund after 14 business days, please follow up with ClassWallet for more information.
Can I use my stored balance when I purchase a class using ClassWallet?
No. At this time stored balances will not be applied to an order made using the ClassWallet marketplace.
Can I enroll in an ongoing class using the ClassWallet marketplace?
Yes! When you click the subscribe button for a recurs weekly class, you can enroll in up to 16 weeks of classes (or as many weeks as the educator has scheduled). You will be charged for all weeks up front. The day the enrollment ends, you can re-enroll in the class and continue the enrollment for up to 16 weeks.
At this time, because recurring weekly classes are pre-purchased, ClassWallet users cannot pause their enrollments in this class format. The support team is happy to help with any questions you have about managing your enrollment.
Can I enroll in 1-on-1 tutoring classes using the ClassWallet marketplace?
Families can use their ClassWallet funds to purchase up to 12 weeks of tutoring classes. The class description page for tutoring classes will indicate class availability, showing dates and times available similar to this:
When placing the order, follow the following steps:
Log into your ClassWallet Account
Visit the class listing page and click on, “View Availability.” Select the date you would like to begin your tutoring sessions. Then select the time they would like your tutoring sessions to take place. Click, “Enroll”
Select the number of sessions you would like to book (up to 12) and click “next”
Last, complete the remaining ClassWallet order process and you are all set!
If the educator is unavailable on any of the dates/times you’ve selected, this will be indicated as follows, and the total check-out price will be adjusted to reflect the sessions that were not booked.
Once you’ve completed your order on ClassWallet, you’ll receive an email from both ClassWallet and Outschool confirming the enrollment. You can then access the class at start time through your Outschool account as normal. Please read this article for more information on managing your ESA enrollments.
Note: If you would like to enroll in the same tutoring class more than 1 day a week, families will need to place separate orders for each of the separate days a week they’d like to meet.
Why is a specific class not available?
Each state program has different rules for the types of classes that can be purchased with program funds. Please contact your state program directly for more information about their specific regulations.
Some states, including Indiana, North Carolina, Texas, and New Hampshire, have a minimum “booking window,” which gives the programs time to review and approve individual orders. This means that certain class start dates may not be available for purchase if they start sooner than the minimum booking window. Please contact your state’s program directly for more information about approval timing.
How can I tell if a pending order has been completed correctly?
ClassWallet users can tell if their orders have been submitted if they have received an order confirmation from ClassWallet stating that it has been submitted. You will get an additional notification when the order is approved or rejected. You can always check your saved orders in your ClassWallet portal to see if they were completed. Please see ClassWallet's documentation on order receipts and their documentation on how to shop for more information.
How can I request this offering in my state?
We’re working to expand our partnerships with ESA programs across the U.S. Sign up for our waitlist, and you’ll be notified when this offer becomes available in your state.