Resources · Arizona Families
Arizona ESA Information
Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program can be used to pay for occupational therapy services at Sensory Life Assessment & Wellness™. Here's what you need to know — including what it covers, how it works, and what we've seen families navigate along the way.
What is the ESA program?
A funding tool for Arizona families who need more than the public school system is providing.
If you're a parent or caregiver of a neurodivergent child in Arizona, you may have heard about ESA — and wondered whether it could help your family. Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account program is administered by the Arizona Department of Education and allocates a portion of the state funding that would have gone to a student's public school district directly to the family instead — to spend on approved educational services and supports that actually meet your child's needs.
Funds are stored in a digital wallet on the ClassWallet platform, which is managed by the state. Families use their ClassWallet account to pay approved vendors — like Sensory Life Assessment & Wellness™ — directly for services.
The program has grown significantly in recent years. As of 2026, over 100,000 Arizona students are enrolled — a reflection of how many families are seeking alternatives and supplements to what the public school system is able to provide — including neurodivergent students whose needs are not being fully met by their current educational setting.
ESA funds are distributed quarterly. Families must submit an expense report each quarter and renew their contract annually by June 20.
Who qualifies?
ESA eligibility categories
To qualify for ESA, students must be Arizona residents and meet at least one eligibility category. The categories most relevant to the families we work with are listed first — but all current categories are included below.
Important: The ESA program is shaped by state legislation and can change from year to year. Eligibility categories, funding amounts, and approved expenses are all subject to legislative updates. We always recommend checking the Arizona Department of Education ESA website directly for the most current information — and to stay connected with ESA parent communities and advocacy groups who track these changes closely. Advocacy matters here. The families who speak up, stay informed, and connect with others navigating the same systems are often the ones who get the most out of this program.
Student with a disability
Student has a current MET/Evaluation Report, IEP, or 504 Plan from an Arizona public school. Student must be at least 3 years old. Most common category for neurodivergent students we support.
Preschool student with a disability
Students at least 3 years old who have not yet reached kindergarten age and have a current IEP, MET, or 504 Plan from an Arizona public school.
Attends a D or F rated school
Students in grades K–12 attending a school rated D or F by the state, or kindergarten-age students who reside in a D or F rated school boundary.
Active duty military
Student of an active duty military parent, or whose parent died while serving in the line of duty.
Legal guardian is blind, deaf, or hard of hearing
Student whose legal guardian is legally blind, deaf, or hard of hearing.
Resides on an Indian reservation
Student who resides on an Indian reservation in Arizona.
Sibling of a qualifying student
Sibling of a student who currently qualifies or previously qualified for the ESA program.
Ward of the Court
Student in permanent placement, with a plan to adopt, or with an emergency court order designating foster parent eligibility.
Not sure if your child qualifies? The Arizona Department of Education ESA team can help — call their hotline at 602-364-1969 (Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm) or visit azed.gov/esa/eligibility-requirements.
Apply for ESA →What ESA can cover at Sensory Life™
OT through ESA covers more than most families realize.
Most families know that ESA can pay for private school tuition and curriculum. What many don't realize is that occupational therapy services from an approved vendor like Sensory Life Assessment & Wellness™ are also an allowable expense — and the scope of what OT can address is much broader than what school-based OT typically provides.
Comprehensive OT Evaluation
A full evaluation of your child's sensory profile, executive functioning, daily routines, and participation — including a comprehensive written report with individualized recommendations. $375
Ongoing OT Sessions
Individualized telehealth sessions addressing sensory regulation, executive functioning, daily living skills, self-advocacy, and more. $140/hr
Parent Consultations
Collaborative sessions supporting caregivers with IEP/504 guidance, sensory strategies for home, co-regulation, advocacy, and navigating educational systems. $140/hr
Group Programs
Our Special Interest Social Club (ages 6–12) and Executive Function Success Group are telehealth programs available to ESA families anywhere in Arizona. $199/series
How private OT through ESA differs from school-based OT
School-based OT is limited to what impacts a student's ability to access their education in that specific school setting. It doesn't address how a child functions at home, in the community, in social relationships, or across other areas of daily life — and it isn't required to. Private OT through Sensory Life Assessment & Wellness™ looks at the whole child, across all environments, with goals that the family — not the school system — gets to drive. For many of the families we work with, ESA funding is what makes this kind of holistic, individualized support possible.
How to pay with ESA funds
Step-by-step: paying for OT services with ClassWallet.
Once you're an active ESA participant, here's how to use your ClassWallet funds to pay for services at Sensory Life Assessment & Wellness™.
Receive your itemized invoice
After each session, an itemized invoice is automatically sent to you via email through our secure Healthie EHR system. You can also download it at any time from your Healthie client portal.
Log in to ClassWallet
Visit classwallet.com → Users → User Login and sign in to your ESA account.
Select the correct vendor
When choosing a vendor, make sure you select the correct listing — there can be multiple vendors with similar names.
Vendor display name: Sensory Life Assessment & Wellness
Vendor profile: Julia Colman, PLLC
Upload your invoice
Upload the itemized invoice from your Healthie portal when prompted by ClassWallet. This documentation supports your payment request and helps ensure quick approval.
We'll help if you get stuck
If you have trouble accessing your invoice, navigating ClassWallet, or aren't sure whether a service will be approved, reach out. We've helped many families through this process and we're happy to walk you through it. julia@mysensorylife.com
An honest note from our practice
Navigating ESA is a lot — especially when you're already advocating in every other direction.
We want to name something that most ESA vendor pages don't say: the administrative burden of the ESA program is real. Quarterly expense reports, invoice uploads, renewal deadlines, navigating ClassWallet, making sure vendors are correctly listed — it's a significant amount of work on top of everything else you're managing as a caregiver of a neurodivergent child.
Statistically, neurodivergent children are more likely to have neurodivergent parents, too — and we're very aware of that. Many are managing their own sensory differences, executive functioning challenges, and nervous system load while simultaneously advocating for their children in school systems, medical systems, and now ESA paperwork. We see that. We don't take it lightly.
The ESA program is a meaningful tool — and it can genuinely open up access to support that wouldn't otherwise be available. But the system was not designed with the needs of neurodivergent families at the center. If you're finding it overwhelming, you're not doing it wrong. It's just a lot.
We're here to make our piece of it as easy as possible. Invoices are automatic. We'll answer your questions. And we'll advocate alongside you — because that's what this work is about.
Book a free consultation to talk through your options
Frequently asked questions
ESA questions, answered.
Does my child need an IEP or 504 to qualify for ESA?
For the "student with a disability" eligibility category — which covers most of our clients — yes, a current IEP, MET evaluation, or 504 Plan from an Arizona public school is required. Other eligibility categories exist that don't require this documentation. Call the ESA hotline at 602-364-1969 to explore what applies to your family.
Can I use ESA for parent consultation sessions?
Parent consultation sessions are part of our occupational therapy services and are billed as OT. Whether they are approved under your specific ESA account depends on how your account is set up and what ADE approves. We recommend confirming with the ESA program before booking if this is a concern.
My child is homeschooled — can we still use ESA?
Yes — the ESA program is actually well-suited for homeschooling families. Your ESA contract serves as your homeschool affidavit in Arizona. Many of our ESA families are homeschooling and use their funds to access OT services that support their child's learning and development at home.
Can ESA pay for the Quick Sensory Assessment?
For students, we recommend a comprehensive occupational therapy evaluation to thoroughly assess your child's needs — this is the most appropriate and thorough option for ESA-funded support. The Quick Sensory Assessment is a standalone, non-clinical tool that we would recommend as an add-on for parents and caregivers who want insight into their own sensory profile, but it would not be covered by ESA funding. For your student, the full OT evaluation is the right starting point.
What if I'm not sure whether my child qualifies?
We recommend reaching out directly to the Arizona Department of Education ESA team — they are the official source for eligibility determinations and can answer questions specific to your child's situation. Call 602-364-1969 (Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm) or visit azed.gov/esa/eligibility-requirements.
How do I get my invoice for ClassWallet submission?
After each session, an itemized invoice is automatically sent to your email through our Healthie EHR system. You can also download it at any time by logging into your Healthie client portal. If you're having trouble finding it, reach out and we'll help.
Can ESA cover group programs like the Special Interest Social Club?
Our group programs are therapeutic programs delivered by a licensed OT. Whether they qualify as an allowable ESA expense will depend on your specific account and ADE's determination. We recommend confirming with your ESA program specialist before enrolling with ESA funds.
What if I have trouble with ClassWallet?
ClassWallet has its own support resources including video tutorials at their YouTube channel. You can also contact ClassWallet support directly through classwallet.com. And as always — if the issue is related to your invoice or our vendor listing, reach out to us directly and we'll sort it out together.
Ready to get started?
Book a free 15-minute consultation and we'll talk through your child's needs, how ESA applies to your situation, and what working together would look like.