How to become a Montana ESA vendor
Montana's ESA is a reimbursement program for parents of children with a disability under IDEA, run by the Office of Public Instruction. Providers don't register or invoice the state: families pay you, then submit reimbursement requests to OPI. The program is under active litigation.
Checked against official sources on Oct 9, 2026
Run by
Montana OPI (parent reimbursements)
Legal status
In litigation; check with OPI1
How money moves
OPI reimburses parents1
Provider types
One application
Who can apply
- The ESA is for parents of a child with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).1
- Family applications open twice a year, on May 1 and November 1. Account amounts follow the state's ANB funding formula and vary slightly by district.1
- Private schools serving ESA students file a quarterly report with OPI.1
What trips providers up
- Families are reimbursed after paying you, so they need your receipt for their OPI request. OPI publishes the reimbursement form, its instructions and the list of allowable reimbursements on its ESA page.1
Sources
- 1.Education Savings Account program page, Montana Office of Public Instruction, updated Dec 18, 2025
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Photo: Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0
Track every Montana ESA order in one place
The ChoicePaid dashboard (early access) shows what's confirmed, what's waiting on a receipt or tracking number, and when each payout is due, across every program you're in.