Arkansas Learns Act

Shiloh Family, 

We have great news!  For the 2025-2026 school year, all Shiloh K5-12th grade students will be eligible for the LEARNS Act Education Freedom Accounts (EFA) voucher.  The application portal to apply for the EFA vouchers will open on March 3, 2025.  EFA vouchers may be used by families to cover private school tuition and will provide funding of approximately $6,800 for the 2025-2026 school year.  If you already have a student(s) receiving EFA funding, you will still need to re-enroll for LEARNS funding on March 3, 2025. It is important that ALL families apply (or re-enroll) for LEARNS funding on March 3, 2025!!!  

Each family is responsible for applying for LEARNS funding for their children. Shiloh cannot apply on your behalf, and all families will be billed according to the 2025/2026 tuition rates. 

When we begin billing all families for the 2025-2026 school year, we will bill your family at the standard tuition rate or Cross Church member tuition rate as we have historically done.  Once the state has approved your EFA voucher application for your student(s), they will send a list to Shiloh confirming your student was approved. We will then add a credit to your FACTS account for the amount of the EFA voucher for each student.  You will be responsible for paying the remaining tuition balance using the 10-month payment plan (which starts in August and ends in May).  You are still able to make payments earlier than August using your FACTS account, we are just streamlining our billing process now that the EFA vouchers are available to all Shiloh families.  Tuition information for the 25/26 school year can be found HERE.

Example:

If you are a Cross Church member and your student is an elementary student, you will be billed at the elementary member tuition rate of $9,500.  When your student is approved for the EFA voucher, we will add a credit of approximately $6,800 to your FACTS account.  You will be responsible for paying the difference of approximately $2,700.  Using the 10-month payment plan, your monthly payment would be approximately $270 per month.  Again, you can make payments on this as early as June 1, we are just trying to simplify our billing process by having one payment plan option.

For more information regarding the LEARNS Act Education Freedom Accounts, feel free to visit the Office of School Choice & Parent Empowerment - Family EFA Details website.  There are many FAQs, links to webinars and general information on this page. All Shiloh families will need to complete the online application which can be accessed HERE (when the application portal opens on March 3, 2025). 

Please contact the Arkansas Department of Education directly if you have any specific questions regarding eligibility by emailing ade.efa@ade.arkansas.gov or by phone at 501-683-3162. For questions concerning Shiloh billing and how the LEARNS Act will work with your tuition schedule for next year, feel free to contact Chrissy Avey in our Business Office by emailing chrissya@shilohsaints.org.

 Sincerely, 

Shiloh Leadership Team

Phase 1 was implemented for the 2023-24 School Year

Eligibility requirements for 2023-24, the first year of the Educational Freedom Account, included:

  • First-time kindergartners
  • Students coming from F-rated school or Level 5 districts
  • Students coming from the Succeed Scholarship Program
  • Specific special populations (homeless students, current or former foster care students, students with disabilities, and children of active-duty military personnel).

Phase 2 will be implemented 2024-25 School Year

Eligibility requirements for the 2024-25 school year include:

  • All of the criteria from Phase 1
  • Students who were enrolled during the 2023-24 school year in a “D-rated” school
  • Specific special populations (children of military veterans, children of first responders, children of law enforcement officers) 

Phase 3 will be implemented 2025-26 School Year

  • All Arkansas residents

APPLY for the LEARNS ACT

EFA Application required documents information can be found here.

EFA Family Handbook (PDF)

If you have questions, contact Chrissy Avey at chrissya@crosschurch.com.