What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Each Public Funding Program?

Not all public funding programs have the same educator credential requirements. Depending on the state and program, you may qualify with no additional credentials, or you may need a bachelor's degree, teaching certificate, or state-specific approval. This guide breaks down the eligibility requirements for each public funding program.

Public funding programs have different educator credential requirements depending on the state and program administrator. Some programs are open to all Outschool educators, while others require a bachelor’s degree, teaching certificate, or state-specific approval.

The Public Funding Hub shows which programs you may qualify for and any actions you need to take to unlock additional public funding opportunities.

No Credential Required

The following programs do not require educators to upload a teaching certificate or bachelor’s degree. However, class eligibility may still be determined by subject area, class format, and keywords used in class titles and descriptions.

Programs

• Arizona ESA
• Arkansas EFA
• Colorado My Spark
• Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)
• Florida Family Tax Credit Scholarship Personalized Education Program (FTC-PEP)
• Idaho Empowering Parents Program
• Louisiana GATOR Scholarship Program
• New Hampshire Education Freedom Account (EFA)
• Ohio Rise
• Utah Fits All Scholarship Program (UFA)
• West Virginia HOPE Scholarship

What This Means

If you’re an active Outschool educator, you may already be eligible for these programs without taking additional credential-related action.

Bachelor’s Degree Required

The following programs require educators to have a bachelor’s degree or higher uploaded and verified through Outschool.

Programs

• Alabama CHOOSE Act
• North Carolina ESA+
• South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund

What You’ll Need To Do

1. Navigate to Credentials in your Outschool account.
2. Upload documentation showing completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Teaching Certificate Required

The following programs require educators to have a teaching certificate on file with Outschool.

Programs

• Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA)
• Texas PDSES
• New York Children First Scholarship Fund

What You’ll Need To Do

• Navigate to Credentials in your Outschool account.
• Upload your teaching certificate.

State Approval Required

Some programs require additional approval directly through the state or program administrator. Uploading credentials to Outschool alone is not enough to qualify.

Georgia Promise Scholarship

The Georgia Promise Scholarship requires educators to hold a valid Georgia teaching certificate.

What You’ll Need To Do

1. Navigate to Credentials in your Outschool account.
2. Upload your Georgia teaching certificate.
3. Outschool will share your credential information with Odyssey to facilitate approval.

Reimbursement-Based Programs

Some public funding programs allow families to purchase educational services directly and then request reimbursement from their program administrator.

Requirements vary by program, but families may request copies of:

• Teaching certificates
• Bachelor’s degrees
• Other professional credentials

We recommend keeping your credential information current in your Outschool account so families can access documentation if needed.

How to Upload Credentials

Need help uploading your credentials? Watch our step-by-step video walkthrough that shows how to upload and manage credentials in your Outschool account: https://www.loom.com/share/e012f8ff7ae147838c82995b4374728b

Note: Funding schedules and award amounts vary by program and may change from year to year. Families should refer to their program administrator for the most current information.