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Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview

  • Arizona students in grades K-12 may qualify for Arizona's ESA program.
  • Arizona's ESA program provides eligible students with funds that parents or guardians may use to pay for private school tuition and other educational expenses.
  • Enlightium Academy is an approved provider for the scholarship, which means you may be entitled to receive thousands of dollars per student each year to help cover tuition costs.
  • The Arizona Department of Education has many helpful resources for families that may be eligible for ESA. You can click here to get started.

  

Eligibility

To be eligible for Arizona’s ESA, students must:
  1. Legally reside in Arizona.
  2. Be in grades K-12 or in a preschool program with a documented disability.
  3. Be at least five years old by January 1st of the contract year to apply, unless the student is in a preschool program with a disability.

How Much are the Funds?

  • The amount of funding varies based on the student's circumstances, but it generally ranges from $4,000 to $10,000* per year.
  • Amounts are based on published full-year award amounts for the 2025-2026 school year. Enlightium Academy cannot guarantee specific awards for any student.

How Can You Use These Funds?

Your ESA funds can:

  • Offset or completely cover the Online Program’s Standard Package tuition (grades 3-12) and potentially either upgrade (Priority Support or Expanded Support Upgrades).
  • Offset or completely cover the cost of the Book-Based Program, and be used to purchase books directly from BJU Press (grades PreK-5)*.
    • Books cannot be purchased directly from Enlightium, so you will need to contact BJU Press directly to find out how to purchase books with ESA funds.
  • Cover other educational expenses.
  • Funds may be able to roll over to the next school year, allowing a family to choose a program such as the Enlightium Online Program one year and potentially the Enlightium Prep Online the following school year.
*Note that students under the age of five are usually not eligible for the ESA.
**Please note that Enlightium cannot guarantee award amounts for any given student. Parents are responsible for any tuition or fees owed to Enlightium that are not covered by their student’s ESA.

Application Timeframe

  • Families must apply and sign a contract with the ESA before they can start using ESA funds.
  • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
  • Families must submit documentation of their expenses to the Arizona Department of Education via ClassWallet.
    • The organization then verifies the expenses.
    • If approved, the organization pays for the expenses using the student's ESA account.
    • For the most part, accounts using ESAs are subject to the same Enlightium billing policies as households using personal funds to pay for their students’ expenses. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions below for details on how Enlightium’s policies apply to households that pay directly from a voucher system.
  • The deadline to sign an ESA contract and receive funding for the entire school year is September 30th, and it can take up to 30 days to process new applications.
    • Families who apply after September 30th may still be eligible to receive prorated funding for the remainder of the school year.
    • For example, families who sign ESA contracts in Quarter 2 will receive funding for Quarter 2.
  • What are your next steps?
    1. Learn more at azed.gov/esa.
    2. Apply for the Empowerment Scholarship Account.
    3. Review these steps to manage the funds.

Parents and Enlightium

Please note that while Enlightium Academy is approved to accept ESA funds for eligible students, it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to ensure that appropriate steps are taken for either reimbursement or direct voucher payment. If the necessary documentation is not requested or submitted properly, or if the Department of Education denies a request to use ESA funds, the parent or guardian bears the responsibility for their student’s tuition.

When enrolling or re-enrolling at Enlightium Academy, in order to make sure your tuition payments are processed correctly and in a timely manner, please select on your student’s enrollment form that you will be paying tuition with ESA funds, and whether you intend to use the voucher system or a different payment method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Enlightium Academy qualify for Arizona ESA funds?
Yes. If students qualify for an ESA, those funds can be used to pay their tuition. The funds can also be applied to premium electives, annual assessment fees, or other services available at Enlightium Academy. Funds can also be used to pay for required school supplies, including computers if they are required by the school.

How can I get invoices to submit for payment or to provide to the ESA system?
Invoices or statements can be requested by emailing billing@enlightiumacademy.com. Quarterly and annual statements sent by Enlightium will be provided upon request and will fulfill the requirements for the state of Arizona. These requests are typically processed in 1-3 business days.

How can I pay Enlightium Academy directly through my student’s ESA? 
ClassWallet has step-by-step instructions for paying vendors directly. You can view these instructions here. If you would prefer to watch a video tutorial, it can be found here.

If I have multiple students, can I use excess ESA funds from one student to cover expenses for another student? 
No. Funds in a specific ESA may only be used for the student to whom the ESA funds were awarded. If one student has excess funds in his or her account, those funds may not be used for expenses incurred by another student, even if it is a student in the same household. If you have multiple students with ESAs, you may use each student’s ESA for that student’s educational expenses.

How do I know if my payment from ClassWallet has been received? 
Upon receiving payments from ClassWallet, Enlightium Academy’s billing team will email the primary contact of the household. A statement showing the original balance, the amount paid, and the balance or credit on each student’s account will be included. Please allow 5-10 business days for processing these payments.

Are there any fees for using ESA funds? 
A $150 voucher processing fee is applied to students using a third-party program to pay for tuition, which is due and non-refundable 72 hours after the enrollment form is signed. This fee covers the additional requirements Enlightium must comply with to be eligible for the program, as well as the additional services required to receive payments directly from ClassWallet. The voucher processing fee can be paid using the voucher funds.

Additionally, ClassWallet charges Arizona ESA users a 2% fee for payments made through their DirectPay system, which will be included on your invoices. The 2% fee can also be paid using the voucher funds.

Am I still eligible for tuition discounts if I use an ESA? 
Yes. Enlightium’s discounts can be applied to ESA recipients if the student is otherwise eligible for the discount.

Will my tuition payments be scheduled differently if I use ESA?
Yes. Due to additional processing requirements, tuition plans for families paying directly from the voucher system will be scheduled in a maximum of four installments throughout the school year. Whereas other students’ tuition will be paid annually or monthly, ESA students’ tuition will be paid quarterly.

Do I need to file a homeschooling affidavit with my school district if my student has an ESA?
No. The laws governing the ESA program state that parents should not file an affidavit. According to the ESA Parent Handbook, the “ESA contract serves as the ‘affidavit’ or proof that the student is receiving an education as required by Arizona law.”

Does my student need to take a standardized assessment if they have an ESA?
Arizona ESA students are not required to take a standardized assessment every year. However, standardized testing fees are a covered expense for the ESA program, and the assessment can provide valuable information regarding your student’s education.

What if I decide to change schools during the school year?
Enlightium’s standard withdrawal policy will apply in the event that your student is withdrawn from Enlightium Academy before the end of the school year. Any remaining balance that is not covered by the ESA in this situation is the responsibility of the primary parent on the account.

Your ESA contract with the Arizona Department of Education will not be affected by your withdrawal from Enlightium Academy. However, your ESA may be terminated if your student is transferring to a public school (including charter or online public schools).

Additional Questions?

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