Eligibility

Arizona state has four different designations for tax credit eligible tuition scholarship programs.

These designations are each designed to maintain a system in which every Arizona student has access to the educational future that they deserve. The eligibility requirements set forth by the state are as follows:

Any K-12 child enrolled and attending a private school, as well as preschool students with a MET or IEP provided by a public school, is eligible for the Original Individual program.

Any child enrolled, grades K-12 or preschool students with a public school MET or IEP, attending a private school and who also meets one of the following criteria:

  • Entering kindergarten
  • Transferring from an Arizona public or charter school with at least one full semester of attendance in the prior school year
  • Dependant of active duty military personnel stationed in Arizona
  • Previously received a PLUS (Switcher), Corporate Low Income or Corporate Disabled/ Displaced scholarship in a previous school year

These students are eligible for the PLUS (Switcher) program.

Any child enrolled, grades K-12 or preschool students with a public school MET or IEP, attending a private school, who meets the state-mandated income cap and who also meets one of the following criteria:

  • Entering kindergarten
  • Transferring from an Arizona public or charter school with at least one full semester of attendance in the prior school year
  • Dependant of active duty military personnel stationed in Arizona
  • Previously received a PLUS (Switcher), Corporate Low Income or Corporate Disabled/Displaced scholarship in a previous school year

These students are eligible for the Corporate Low Income program.

Any child enrolled, grades K-12 that has an Arizona public school IEP, MET, or 504 plan; or preschool students with a public school MET or IEP is eligible for the Disabled/ Displaced program.

Income levels for free or reduced-price lunches for the academic year 2020/2021 can be found at the following address:
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-03-20/pdf/2020-05982.pdf

Reduced price lunch annual income eligibility guidelines by household size are shown in the table below, along with the next income threshold comparison specified in the statute.

Academic Year 2020/2021

Household Size Reduced price lunch income threshold (185% of poverty level) 342.25% of poverty level (185% of 185% of poverty level)
1 $23,606 $43,671
2 $31,894 $59,004
3 $40,182 $74,337
4 $48,470 $89,670
5 $56,758 $105,002
6 $65,046 $120,335
7 $73,334 $135,668
8 $81,622 $151,001
Each additional member $8,288 $15,333

Application:

2020-2021 Application

2020-2021 Public School Verification Form

2020-2021 Scholarship Verification Form

When To Apply

Every year a new application must be filled out. In order to ensure the funds are still available to maintain a students path toward their educational future, parents need to be prepared to apply at the beginning of every year in January.

How To Apply

As Arizona students look toward their educational future, LEF is making strides to make applying easier. Now you can apply online! Click the apply now button below! Here is what you’ll need:

  • Complete the following application
  • Provide a copy of the first two pages of your previous year tax form 1040
  • A signed IEP or MET from a public school

Please fill out the following form to apply:

    Student Information

    Student's Date of Birth

    Student's Name:

    Parent/Guardian's Name:

    Spouse's Name (Optional):

    Mailing Address:

    City, State, Zip:

    Parent/Guardian's Email Address:

    Mobile Phone:
    Home Phone:

    Name of Private School Name:

    What grade will your child be in during the 2019-2020 year?

    Scholarship Eligibility

    Please mark all that apply:
    Student attended an Arizona public or charter school as a full-time student for at least 90 days of the prior fiscal year.Is currently enrolled in a private school kindergarten.Is currently enrolled in a private preschool program for students with disabilities (preschool students must have an MET or IEP from an Arizona public school; a 504 does not meet the requirement).Is a dependent of a member of the armed forces of the United States who is stationed in Arizona pursuant to military orders (preschool students must also have an MET or IEP from an Arizona public school; a 504 plan does not meet the requirement).Is currently enrolled in an Arizona K-12 private school and has a current or expired MET or IEP or 504.Is currently enrolled in an Arizona K-12 private school and was placed at one time in the Arizona foster care system.Received a switcher individual scholarship under one of the above criteria in a prior year and the child continued to attend a private school in subsequent years.Received a low-income corporate scholarship or a disabled/displaced corporate scholarship in a prior year and the child continued to attend a private school in subsequent years.

    Scholarship Choices

    Please indicate which scholarship you would like to apply for, mark ALL that apply:
    IndividualSwitcherLow IncomeDisabled/Displaced

    Household Income

    Household Members - List the first and last name of each person living in your household, related or not (such as grandparent, other relatives, or friends). You must include yourself and all children living with you.

    Gross Income and Frequency - Next to each person's name list each type of income received and how often it was received (weekly, Bi-weekly, 2x month, monthly, or yearly).

    • Earnings from work: List the *Gross income for each person, not the take-home pay. *Gross income is the amount earned before taxes and other deductions
    • Welfare, child support, alimony: List how much and how often it is received.
    • Pensions, retirement, Social Security: List how much and how often it is received.
    • All other income: Include - Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Worker's Compensation, Disability benefits, Veterans Benefits (VA benefits), Unemployment, Strike benefits, Regular contribution from people who do not live in your household, net income from self-owned business, farm, or rental income, and ALL OTHER INCOME.
    • NOTE—If you are in the Military Housing Privatization Initiative or get combat pay, do not include these allowances as income.

    Check if household member has no income - If the person does not have any income, check the box.

    Household Members (list everyone in Household) Earnings from Work Before Deductions Welfare, child support, alimony Pensions, retirement, Social Security All Other Income Check if NO Income
    $
    /
    $
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    		NO
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    		NO
    $
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    $
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    $
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    $
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    		NO
    $
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    $
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    		NO
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    $
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    		NO

    Foster Child

    If this application is for a child who is the legal responsibility of a welfare agency or court and is currently living in your household, please provide the following information about that child.

    Child's Name:
    Child's Personal Use Monthly Income $

    PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING AGREEMENT STATEMENTS

    • Scholarships awarded to the applicant(s) must be used as allowed by Arizona law solely for tuition expenses at a qualified private school of the applicant’s choice. Any portion unused must be returned by the school to Lexington Education Foundation for reallocation.
    • The applicant is not receiving Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) money from The Arizona Department of Education.
    • Lexington Education Foundation has absolute and sole discretion in awarding scholarships.
    • Scholarships are distributed without regard to ethnicity, sex or handicap. Scholarships are only for the current academic year and continuing aid is based upon the applicant’s eligibility and funds available.
    • A school tuition organization cannot award, restrict or reserve scholarships solely on the basis of donor recommendation. A taxpayer may not claim a tax credit if the taxpayer agrees to swap donations with another taxpayer to benefit either taxpayer’s own dependent.
    • Household family income is not solely used to determine eligibility, but is one of many factors used to determine scholarships awarded. Applicant(s) family’s current annual household income is reviewed and will provide the necessary information for verification of that income.

    Please accept:

    I promise to the best of my knowledge all of the information on this application is true and that the income reported is correct.

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