Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account Program
Education Savings Account in Montana
About This Program
Montana's ESA program for students with disabilities, enacted in 2023 and launched in 2024. Provides ESAs based on state and local per-pupil funding that would have been allocated for public school enrollment (varies by district). Covers private school tuition, online programs, tutoring, software, curriculum, educational therapies, standardized testing, college tuition, and textbooks. A district court blocked the program in December 2025, ruling it lacked proper legislative appropriation.
Eligibility Requirements
Students must have an IEP with qualifying disabilities under IDEA (autism, intellectual disability, hearing/visual impairment, speech/language impairment, emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairment, traumatic brain injury, other health impairment, or specific learning disability). Must have attended public school the previous year, recently moved from out of state, or be eligible for kindergarten. No income cap, enrollment cap, or budgetary cap. Program blocked by district court in December 2025 as unconstitutional due to improper legislative funding mechanism.
Funding Details
Funding mechanism: State appropriation based on district per-pupil allocation; amount varies by district
Approved Expenses
How to Apply
IMPORTANT: The Montana Special Needs ESA program is currently under litigation and may not be accepting new applications. Check with the Montana Office of Public Instruction for the latest status. When active, families of students with qualifying disabilities apply through the OPI. Students must have an active IEP or 504 plan.
Other Programs in Montana
Disclaimer: This tool provides estimates based on publicly available program data. Always verify eligibility directly with your state's program administrator. Program rules, funding amounts, and application deadlines may change.