Wyoming ESA funds must be used for qualifying educational expenses. Families are encouraged to make purchases directly through the Odyssey Marketplace, where educational products available through the Wyoming ESA Program are pre-approved.
Qualifying Educational Expenses
Wyoming ESA funds may be used for the following:
Tuition and Fees: Payments to qualified private schools, including pre-kindergarten, elementary, and secondary institutions.
Educational Therapies: Services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, audiology therapy, and other special education services.
Tutoring Services: Payments to non-family individual tutors or tutoring centers that provide supplemental education.
Curriculum and Educational Materials: Curriculum, textbooks, instructional materials, and supplemental materials required by a curriculum or education service provider.
Online Learning Programs: Online courses or programs that align with Wyoming's educational standards.
College Courses: Tuition, fees, and instructional materials for college classes taken as a dual enrollment high school student.
Career or Technical School: Tuition, fees, instructional materials, and examination fees.
Testing and Assessments: Nationally norm-referenced assessments, advanced placement exams, college entrance exams, and preparatory courses, including the ACT or other approved standardized tests.
Technology: Computer hardware and other technology devices, including educational software and applications. Assistive technology devices and applications also qualify.
Contracted Public School Services: Services provided by a public school district or charter school, such as individual classes, extracurricular activities, and programs.
Summer Educational Programs: Tuition and fees for educational programs offered during the summer.
Specialized After-School Educational Programs: Tuition and fees for after-school programs designed to support or enhance learning outcomes.
Transportation Fees: Fees paid to a fee-for-service transportation provider for student travel to and from an educational service provider.
School Uniforms: Costs associated with required school uniforms.
💡 Note: Some qualifying expenses have price caps or restrictions on how often they can be purchased. See: What Are the Price Caps and Purchase Restrictions for the Wyoming ESA Program?
Requesting Approval for Additional Expenses
Educational products that are not currently available in the Marketplace may be considered based on the following criteria:
Is the expense statutorily allowable?
Is the request reasonable and ordinarily used in an educational context?
Does the expense support or enhance student learning or educational outcomes?
Is the cost ordinary or typical compared with similar options?
Payment and Receipt Requirements
Expenses must be paid after the service is provided or the product ships, except for tuition and fees required for enrollment or assessment purposes.
⚠️ Important: Keep receipts for all expenditures. The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) may audit ESA accounts.
Misuse of Wyoming ESA funds may result in disqualification from the program and additional consequences, including criminal charges where appropriate.