Indiana Education Scholarship Account (ESA) Program

From Indiana Department of Education Weekly Digest Bulletin

Students with disabilities who are eligible for special education and related services may be eligible for an ESA, under IC 20-51.4. If a student has an ESA, the parent may choose to have special education and related services provided by the public school under a service plan (SP), or the parent may choose to have special education funds added to the ESA so that the parent may choose which services to provide and the service providers to provide those services under an Education Scholarship Account Education Service Plan (ESA-SP).

• Who works with the parent to develop an ESA-SP? The school corporation of legal settlement (SCOLS) is responsible for working with parents to develop an ESA-SP. The parent is entitled to seek an offer of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) from the student’s SCOLS. The SCOLS shall convene the case conference committee (CCC) upon the parent’s request. An offer of FAPE is documented in a proposed individualized education program (IEP). If the parent declines the IEP, then the SCOLS presents the ESA-SP Activation document to the parent for review and signature. The ESA-SP consists of the proposed IEP and the ESA-SP Activation document. The SCOLS should provide the parent a copy of the proposed IEP and the signed ESA-SP Activation document. The parent is responsible for ensuring the implementation of the ESA-SP.
• Is an ESA-SP needed if the parent elects to have special education and related services provided by the public school corporation where the non-public school is located under a SP? An ESA-SP is not needed if the parent decides to accept services under a SP from the public school corporation where the non-public school is located. If the parent elects a SP from the local corporation, then the local corporation convenes a CCC meeting to develop the SP. The local corporation is responsible for implementing the SP. Annual CCC meetings are required for an ESA student who receives services under a SP.
• What are the funding sources for the ESA? Funding for the ESA comes from a percentage of the state tuition support funding formula, which is based on average daily membership (ADM), and per pupil allocation for special education - state funds only (APC). ESA funds and the accounts associated with them are administered by the Indiana Treasurer of State (TOS). A parent may elect to have special education services provided under a SP. In this situation, the TOS will direct APC funds to the local corporation responsible for developing and implementing the SP. If the parent chooses an ESA-SP and contracts with participating entities/provider(s) for some or all services in the ESA-SP, then APC funds will flow from the TOS to the ESA account.