Choose the scholarship that is best
If you have chosen a private school, or are interested in one, there are several scholarship options that your student may qualify for.
Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA)
Application open year round as of August 2016. If you wish to receive and ESA for the upcoming school year, you should apply as soon as possible. Depending on the time of the ESA award, you may not receive funds until the second quarter of school. ESA is free to apply and a state run scholarship program.
To qualify for an ESA your student must be entering Kindergarten (preschool qualifies if special needs student), was enrolled in a Public or Charter school for the first 100 days of the previous school year, or received a DD/Lexie’s Law STO scholarship for the previous year. Your student must reside in Arizona, AND one of the following:
- Student has a disability with a current IEP, 504 or MET
- Student resides in a D or F rated public school boundary
- Student has a parent who is active duty military or had a parent who was killed in the line of duty
- Student’s parent/legal guardian is deaf, hard of hearing or legally blind
- Student has been a ward of the state and has been adopted, or has plans to be adopted
- Student resides within an Indian reservation
- Siblings of a qualifying applicant
- BEGINNING IN MID-SUMMER 2016, students in K, 1, 6, 9 will be able to apply.
ESA Facts/info
- A Student may not use an ESA and STO scholarship in the same school year
- ESA funds may only be used for specific education related materials that will be outlined in your agreement with the state.
- A student may use the ESA for Homeschooling
- Extra funding will roll over each year and can be used for College tuition if desired
- VISIT http://www.azed.gov/esa/ to learn how to apply
For assistance, email barbara@chooseaschoolaz.org
School Tuition Organizations (STOs)
- STOs are nonprofits that raise money to scholarship students.
- Many STOs have open applications year round, while others have a specific window to apply. Some STOs may charge an application fee, while some are free to apply.
- Some STOs are specific to certain groups of schools, for example the Catholic Education Arizona may only provide scholarships to students at Catholic Schools.
- There are four separate scholarships available:
- The Individual/Original Tax Credit Scholarship, available to all students in grades K-12, however some STOs may have income requirements.
- The Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship, open to students in grades K-12 who qualify based on certain criteria, including meeting income requirements and previous attendance in public school.
- The PLUS/Overflow/Switcher Tax Credit Scholarship, open to students who are entering Kindergarten or students who are transferring to Private school from a Public or Charter school.
- The Disabled/Displaced or Lexie’s Law Tax Credit Scholarship, open to students with special needs in Preschool – 12th grade (must have an IEP or 504 from a public school – it can be expired). Also available to students who have been or are currently in Foster care. No income requirements, unless required by the STO.
Scholarship Facts/info
- Each STO organization has their own policies, applications deadlines, and fees
Here are several STOs in Arizona:
- Arizona School Choice Trust- http://asct.org/
- Arizona Leadership Foundation – http://arizonaleader.org/apply-today/
- AAA Scholarship Foundation – http://www.psas.org/AAAZ.aspx
- Arizona Scholarship Fund – https://www.azscholarships.org/
- Arizona Private Education Scholarship Fund-https://apesf.org/
- Institute for Better Education-https://www.ibescholarships.org/
- Tops for Kids – https://www.topsforkids.com/Content/Applicant-Individual.aspx
- Arizona Tuition Organization- http://azto.org/
- ACSTO – http://www.acsto.org/for-parents/apply-now/
For more STOs in the state or questions about STOs contact us at barbara@chooseaschoolaz.org.