MOScholars: Program Demographics and Participation Trends, SY 2022-23 to 2025-26
By: Kathryn Coleman, Ph.D., Michaela Parisi, Ph.D., Allison Chandler, and Collin Hitt, Ph.D.
MOScholars is Missouri’s education savings account (ESA) scholarship program, designed to expand access to educational opportunities for eligible students, primarily those with disabilities or from low-income households, through scholarships administered by approved Educational Assistance Organizations (EAOs). These scholarships can be used for tuition, tutoring, therapies, curriculum, and a range of other educational expenses. This report provides a four-year overview of participating student demographics in Missouri’s MOScholars program. The analysis focuses on gender, race/ethnicity, grade level, and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) status for MOScholars students overall and disaggregated by EAO. This report was prepared by the PRiME Center at Saint Louis University for the Missouri State Treasurer’s Office.
Key Points:
● Each year the number of participating students increased significantly, growing by approximately 370% between SY 2022-23 and SY 2025-26, from roughly 1,300 students in SY 2022-23 to more than 6,400 students in SY 2025-26.
● Over the course of the first four years of the program EAOs distributed $80.90 million in MOScholars awards.
● Around 30% of MOScholars participants have a verified IEP. Students without verified IEPs make up a growing share of program participants, indicating increasing participation among low-income students without disabilities and siblings of participating students..
● While White students comprise a growing majority of participants, the racial/ethnic composition of MOScholars students has remained relatively steady over time.
● Participation has increased across all grade levels, with the largest growth occurring in elementary grades