When Missouri launched the MOScholars program in 2021, it opened new pathways for families to choose the educational environments that best meet their children’s needs. The statewide program provides scholarships to qualifying families, supporting a wide range of educational options across Missouri.
Bright Futures Fund is one of six Educational Assistance Organizations (EAOs) helping administer MOScholars across Missouri. While the MOScholars program supports a variety of schooling options statewide, Bright Futures has carved out a focus on families seeking Catholic education. Through its work, Bright Futures is connecting more families with the resources they need for school choice.
From Local Support to Statewide Impact
Bright Futures Fund was established in 2012 to support inner-city Catholic elementary schools in Kansas City that lacked parish affiliation and traditional funding structures. Over time, the organization expanded its mission and capacity. In 2022, Bright Futures became an EAO for MOScholars in its diocese, helping families apply for and access state-supported scholarships.
In just a short time, Bright Futures has expanded significantly, and today, in partnership with ClassWallet, they administer MOScholars scholarships for Catholic schools across Missouri, including schools in Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese and the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. Growth has been rapid, reflecting both increased family demand and expanded eligibility under the program.
"It’s been fast and furious. The program has grown quickly, and with that growth comes the responsibility to make sure families and schools are supported every step of the way."
– Lisa Kremer, Program Coordinator for MOScholars at Bright Futures
How MOScholars Supports Families
For families served by Bright Futures, MOScholars scholarships are most often applied toward the cost of education, helping reduce the financial burden of private education. The program has been especially impactful for families with multiple children, as it now allows siblings to apply and remain enrolled through key transition points like middle and high school.
"It is very heartwarming for families to find out that they get to continue doing it through high school," explained Kremer. "Before, a lot of families had to leave after eighth grade because they could not afford the high school."
Many families also cite smaller class sizes, individualized attention, and faith-based instruction as the reasons they seek Catholic education. For many, these options were financially out of reach before MOScholars.
The Impact on Schools
Schools participating in MOScholars through Bright Futures have seen measurable benefits. Increased enrollment has allowed schools to add classes, expand offerings, and plan more confidently for the future. In some cases, schools have reported enrollment increases of up to 11 percent.
- $26.2 million in MOScholars funds have been distributed by Bright Futures Fund
- 57 schools served
A customer satisfaction (CSAT) score reflects how users rate their experience with a product or service based on direct feedback, and in Missouri, families using ClassWallet to access MOScholars funds gave the platform an 88.61% satisfaction rating for its support.
Beyond enrollment, the program provides schools with predictable, compliant funding tied directly to student scholarships, strengthening long-term sustainability.
"It’s brought more funding into the school and additional students," said Kremer. "They’ve been able to add classes because of the increase in enrollment."
Administering MOScholars with ClassWallet
Bright Futures works closely with families and schools to manage scholarship applications and awards. Scholarship funds are distributed through ClassWallet, the platform that enables funds to be administered securely, remain audit-ready, and are applied only to approved educational expenses.
This setup allows Bright Futures to focus on supporting families while ClassWallet handles the heavy lifting and technical support through their award-winning customer service department.
- Validations and approvals
- Fund disbursement
- Transaction auditability
- Technical platform support
"When families are having difficulty, ClassWallet helps them work it out," said Kremer.
With ClassWallet supporting behind the scenes, families gain timely access to funds for tuition and other educational resources, and schools benefit from predictable, compliant funding.
"I think the EAOs are providing tremendous value in this program by being a liaison between the program itself and the families that directly benefit. Their work is really critical in making sure the providers and participating families are supported and have the resources they need to be successful."
– Scot Calvert, ClassWallet Client Success Program Manager
Looking Ahead: Supporting Public Funds with Trusted Infrastructure
As programs like MOScholars continue to grow across Missouri and beyond, strong financial infrastructure plays a critical role in making school choice work at scale. ClassWallet supports scholarship programs by providing the tools EAOs, Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs), and state agencies need to manage funds responsibly and efficiently.
For organizations administering school choice programs – or exploring how to support them – ClassWallet offers a proven platform for distributing public funds with transparency and accountability.