(The following is a press release from the office of the Missouri State Treasurer.)
JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Treasurer Vivek Malek today announced that the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program (MOScholars) has funded 10,235 Missouri students for the 2026-2027 academic year. The State of Missouri has awarded $68.7 million in educational funds for these students, reaching a historic milestone for the program. The Missouri State Treasurer’s Office is partnered with Odyssey, a leading software company that powers some of the nation’s largest school choice programs, to implement MOScholars.
The MOScholars program has experienced exponential year-over-year enrollment growth, surging from 1,361 students during its inaugural 2022-2023 year to over 10,000 students today.
For the 2026-2027 school year:
- 16,144 applications were received
- 12,319 students qualified
- 10,235 applicants were funded
- 1,735 students are currently on the waitlist
- 385 approved schools and 350 family paced education are participating statewide
MOScholars continues to support a wide range of educational pathways across Missouri including private school, family paced education, interdistrict enrollment, and special education services.
“Every Missouri child deserves access to a quality education that meets their unique needs,” said Treasurer Vivek Malek. “The tremendous growth of the MOScholars program shows just how eager families are for these opportunities. By awarding over $68 million to more than 10,000 students this academic year, we’re making a historic investment in the future of our state and empowering parents to put their children on a path to success.”
“We’re honored to support Treasurer Malek and the State of Missouri in delivering this historic expansion of the MOScholars program,” said Joseph Connor, Founder and CEO of Odyssey. “Families shouldn’t have to choose between the education their child needs and the education they can afford. MOScholars is closing that gap for more than 10,000 students. Odyssey is proud to help build a program that gives Missouri parents more choices and puts those choices within reach.”
In 2021, the Missouri General Assembly enacted HB 349 and SB 86, establishing MOScholars. The program provides financial assistance to qualified Missouri students, including students with individualized education programs (IEPs) and students from low-income households, to support eligible educational expenses.
Under the program, approved nonprofit Educational Assistance Organizations (EAOs) administer Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts and award scholarship funds in accordance with state law and program requirements. Scholarship amounts are determined by statute and may vary based on a student’s eligibility category. Funds may be used only for educational expenses authorized by law and may not be used for purposes prohibited by statute.
Families interested in receiving updates about the program, including future application openings, can sign up for the MOScholars newsletter here.
About the Treasurer
Vivek Malek is Missouri’s 48th State Treasurer. The Treasurer serves as Missouri’s chief banking and investing officer, directing the state’s banking services, and overseeing Missouri’s state investment portfolio. His approach centers on protecting taxpayer dollars, expanding opportunity through office programs, and promoting the promise of America, something he calls the “Three P’s.” Under his leadership, the office has worked to protect Missouri’s pension funds through disinvestment from Chinese state enterprises, expanded savings programs for disabled Missourians and for education and training, increased the return of unclaimed property, and grown the state’s linked deposit program to help farmers and small business owners access below-market loans.
