Here's a number that surprises even people who follow Arkansas school choice closely. At seven of the eight participating private schools in Fort Smith and Van Buren, more than half of students paid with an Education Freedom Account in 2024-25. The state average was just under half. In two years, the EFA has gone from a new program to the main way River Valley families pay for private school.
The numbers, school by school
From the state's 2024-25 annual report, here is the share of each school's students on an account:
- Fort Smith Montessori School: 33 of about 35, 94%
- Joshua Academy (Van Buren): 95 of about 115, 83%
- Harvest Time Academy: 82 of about 100, 82%
- First Lutheran School: 43 of about 75, 57%
- Union Christian Academy: 212 of about 375, 57%
- Christ the King Catholic School: 115 of about 205, 56%
- Immaculate Conception School: 121 of about 230, 53%
- Trinity Catholic School: 71 of about 240, 30%
Together these schools enrolled about 770 EFA students. Families recorded more than $1.9 million in EFA payments to them in the spring transactions alone.
Why the share is so high here
Three things are probably at work.
Smaller schools, smaller bills. Most River Valley private schools are parish and church schools serving elementary grades. A $7,208 account goes further against their tuition than it does at a large college-prep campus, so for many families it's the difference between "not possible" and "yes."
Eligibility arrived all at once. In 2024-25, the account was limited to certain groups: first-time kindergartners, students with disabilities, military families and a few others. Statewide, students with disabilities and new kindergartners were the two largest groups. Since 2025-26 every Arkansas K-12 student is eligible, and statewide approvals jumped from about 14,000 active students to more than 46,000.
Word of mouth. In a close-knit community, once a few families at a school figure out ClassWallet, the rest follow.
What it means for a family choosing a school now
A high EFA share is good news for a new family in several ways.
- Billing is routine. A school where most families pay through ClassWallet has a business office that knows how to invoice the account each quarter. Ask, but expect clear answers.
- Retention is strong. Most of these schools kept a large majority of their EFA families. 98% of Union Christian's EFA students continued in the program, and 96% stayed at the school. Christ the King, Immaculate Conception and Joshua Academy were all at 96% to 97% continuing.
- Seats may be tight. When nearly every family returns and new families arrive with funding, small schools fill up. Apply early, especially for kindergarten.
What it doesn't tell you
A high EFA share says nothing about whether a school is the right fit for your child. Visit, sit in a classroom if you can, and ask how the school uses its annual test results. Participating schools must give a nationally norm-referenced test each year. In 2024-25, EFA students at Harvest Time Academy (67th percentile in math, 65th in reading) and First Lutheran (66th and 67th) averaged above the statewide EFA average of the 57th and 59th.
The non-participating school
The Montessori School of Fort Smith appears in the federal private school survey but not on the state's 2024-25 participating list. If you're interested, ask whether it has applied or how it works with families who have accounts.
Getting in line
The 2026-27 application window ran March 9 to June 1, and 2027-28 dates haven't been announced. If you're considering a River Valley private school for next fall, visit this winter, apply to the school, and be ready to submit your EFA application as soon as the state opens the window.
When the school you want is full
Strong retention plus new funded families means waiting lists at some River Valley schools, especially in kindergarten and the early grades. If your first choice is full:
- Ask to be placed on the waiting list, and how often seats open mid-year.
- Consider a second school for one year, then reapply. The account moves with your child.
- Look at a homeschool or online year, using the same account, while you wait.
- If you have siblings coming up, ask whether the school gives sibling priority.
A winter checklist for next fall
- December to January: visit schools and ask about openings for your child's grade.
- February: apply to your top choices and gather documents for the EFA application, including proof of Arkansas residency and your child's birth certificate.
- When the state's window opens: submit the EFA application right away. Returning families renew in ClassWallet.
- Summer: confirm the school will invoice ClassWallet and which fees it covers.
See every school's full figures in our Fort Smith school directory, or start a funding check to map your options.