MOScholars Curriculum, Online School, and Virtual School Options

Parents with a MOScholars award often want to know what curriculum they can actually purchase — and whether virtual or online school programs count as approved expenses. The spending rules are more specific than "anything educational," and the purchasing method matters as much as the item itself.

What Curriculum Qualifies Under MOScholars

MOScholars funds cover textbooks, workbooks, physical curriculum sets, and accredited online digital learning subscriptions. These fall under the "Instructional Materials" category in the State Treasurer's expense guidelines.

The key distinction is between instructional materials and consumable school supplies. Textbooks, structured curriculum programs, and workbooks that are part of a formal learning program all qualify. Standard office supplies — pens, pencils, markers, paper, folders — are specifically listed as prohibited expenses. If an item is consumable and not tied to a specific curriculum, it will not pass ClassWallet review.

For home educators on the Family Paced Education track, this means you can use your award to purchase a complete boxed curriculum (Sonlight, Abeka, Saxon Math, etc.), subscribe to online learning platforms, or buy individual subject workbooks. The purchase needs to go through ClassWallet — either from an integrated marketplace vendor or as a reimbursement with proper documentation.

Online Schools and Virtual Programs

Accredited online school programs qualify as a tuition expense under MOScholars, provided they are MOCAP-approved virtual schools operating within Missouri. The Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program allows students to enroll in full-time virtual education, and tuition paid to these programs is an approved scholarship expense.

Examples of eligible online education spending include:

• Full-time virtual school tuition through MOCAP-approved providers
• Accredited online digital learning subscriptions
• Textbooks, workbooks, and physical curriculum sets used in online courses

The research identifies tuition or fees for private schools located outside Missouri as prohibited. For virtual school tuition, the documented route is a qualified, Missouri-based MOCAP-approved virtual school. Accredited online digital learning subscriptions are separately listed as instructional materials.

How to Purchase Through ClassWallet

ClassWallet offers three purchasing mechanisms, and the one you use depends on the vendor:

Marketplace direct purchases are the smoothest path. ClassWallet maintains an integrated digital store with educational vendors. Items purchased through the marketplace are automatically vetted against state eligibility rules and bypass reimbursement processing delays. Check the marketplace for curriculum providers like Miacademy, MiaPrep, and Christianbook.

Direct vendor pay works for tuition and larger services. The curriculum provider or virtual school registers as an approved vendor within ClassWallet and issues an electronic invoice. You submit the invoice through your ClassWallet dashboard, and the payment goes directly to the provider. This is the standard path for virtual school tuition.

Reimbursement is the fallback when neither marketplace nor direct vendor pay is available. You pay out-of-pocket, then submit a receipt through ClassWallet for review. This path has the highest rejection risk. Your receipt must show the merchant name, transaction date, an itemized list of exactly what you purchased, the total amount, and the named MOScholars student. EAOs recommend getting pre-approval before making out-of-pocket curriculum purchases to avoid claim rejections.

What Does Not Qualify as Curriculum

Several items that parents commonly assume are covered are actually prohibited:

• General school supplies (pens, pencils, markers, folders, paper)
• Non-educational subscriptions or entertainment content
• Curriculum purchased from a family member (payments to anyone related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity are barred)
• Unapproved co-op general fees (though specific co-op instruction from qualified tutors may qualify — see the co-op funding guide)

Technology hardware — laptops, tablets, and computers — is approved but on a separate cycle: one device per student every three years. These are not classified as curriculum even when used for online coursework.

Choosing Curriculum While Staying Compliant

MOScholars does not dictate which curriculum you use. The state has no approved curriculum list for FPE families — your curricular independence is preserved under RSMo §167.013. The spending rules govern the type of purchase (instructional material vs. consumable supply), not the content of your curriculum.

This means you can use faith-based curriculum, secular programs, classical education materials, or an eclectic mix. As long as the purchases fall into approved categories and go through proper ClassWallet channels, the program does not evaluate your pedagogical choices.

For a complete guide to navigating ClassWallet purchases, EAO vendor requirements, and the expense approval process, see the Missouri MOScholars Scholarship Parent Guide.

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