Can I use my Arkansas Education Freedom Account (EFA) for Eden's Table?

Is there an Arkansas EFA approved curriculum list?

No. Under the EFA rule every expense is reviewed, and an expense is not approved or denied from a list alone. The lists Arkansas does keep are a list of approved providers, which names curriculum providers as one kind of vendor, and a list of goods and services that do not qualify.

What does Arkansas count as a curriculum expense?

The EFA rule lists curricula as a qualifying expense, along with supplemental materials a course of study requires, and names textbooks, workbooks and curricular materials as core educational expenses. Every expense also has to be ordinary and necessary. The Arkansas Department of Education's (ADE) own example of a necessary expense is curriculum for a student's math, science, English or social studies plan.

Homeschool families agree to spend a substantial share of their funds on English language arts, math, social studies and science.

What does an Arkansas EFA payment need?

Families pay four ways in ClassWallet: a payment request sent by the vendor, Direct Pay against a vendor's invoice, the ClassWallet marketplace, and reimbursement. Direct Pay works only with vendors ADE has approved and that are registered in ClassWallet.

A Direct Pay invoice needs the vendor's name and contact information, a description of each item, and itemized charges with the total due. The student's name and dates of service are required for services. A reimbursement needs a receipt with the purchase date, payment method and proof of payment, and the handbook steers families toward paying through ClassWallet instead.

Each EFA student has a separate ClassWallet account, and each item on an order is given its own expense category.

What gets an Arkansas EFA request turned down or sent back?

Being in the ClassWallet marketplace does not make an item eligible. Requests are turned down or held for reasons like these:

• Anything on ADE's Non-Qualifying Expense List, which reviewers check first. It includes gift cards of any kind, games and toys with no educational purpose, and consulting, training or advice for the parent.
• Items with no link to the student's learning plan, or more copies of an item than the student needs.
• Items bought for a sibling who is not in the program.
• A reimbursement with no proof of payment.
• An invoice missing something ADE needs. ClassWallet's Arkansas FAQ gives the example of an invoice with no student name, which is sent back to be fixed and resubmitted.

How does Eden's Table fit Arkansas's rules?

Eden's Table is a Bible-based science and nature study curriculum in printed books: a Teacher's Guide, a Student Notebook and a Read-Aloud Storybook for a 36-week year. Under the EFA rule, a provider does not have to change its creed or curriculum to be approved or to accept EFA payments.

Eden's Table is an approved Arkansas EFA vendor. Our Arkansas invoice is made for one student and shows our name and contact details, the student's name, each book with its price and the total due, so you can upload it as a Direct Pay request. If you pay on our store instead, the order confirmation email is the itemized receipt for a reimbursement request. ADE still reviews every request.