Mississippi ESA for Students with Special Needs Guide 2026–2027

Eligibility

Students with IEPs.

What the money can be used for

• Tuition
• Therapies
• Tutoring

See our full eligible-expenses guide for the gray areas (technology caps, transportation, religious instruction, family-member compensation).

How to apply

1. Confirm eligibility. Students with IEPs.
2. Gather documents. Proof of residency, the student’s birth certificate, the prior-year tax return (where income matters), and any IEP or 504 documentation.
3. Open the application. Mississippi Department of Education runs the program; applications typically open spring.
4. Submit early. Universal programs with appropriation caps reward applications during the priority window.
5. Pick approved providers. Browse our provider directory and the state’s official approved-provider list for participating schools, tutors, and therapists.

Curriculum & classes parents buy with Mississippi funds

Most ESA-friendly curriculum and live-class platforms — Time4Learning, Outschool, BJU Press, Khan Academy, AoPS — are on multiple state approved-provider lists. See our curriculum guide for the picks by subject and learning style, and verify each item with the Mississippi administrator before purchasing.

Editorial notes

Mississippi’s program was enacted in 2015. Award amounts and eligibility thresholds are reviewed each legislative session; we re-verify each state page on a rolling cadence and date-stamp the last review. See our methodology page for details. The final word on eligibility, deadlines, and approved providers is always the state administrator — verify with the Mississippi Department of Education before spending.