Tuition & ESA

Tuition at A-FITS

Tuition supports the full A-FITS educational experience. Depending on the student's individualized program, the A-FITS model may include approximately 4:1 student-to-staff ratios not including the classroom teacher, FITS Learning™, High Functioning Autism Programming, Functional Academic Programming, Structured Teaching, Individualized Learning Plans, Speech and communication support, Occupational Therapy, School Based ABA, Sensory Integration, Social-Emotional Learning, executive-functioning support, FITS Life™, FITS Experience™, FITS Beyond™, FITS Forward™, transition planning, progress monitoring, and individualized classroom supports.

A-FITS tuition supports an individualized educational model built around the student.

Tuition & Admissions Are Separate Processes

A student's educational fit and a family's funding source are two different considerations.

Admissions asks: Can A-FITS appropriately support this student?

Funding asks: What resources will be used toward the student's tuition obligation?

Families may begin the admissions process while ESA, STO scholarship applications, or other funding arrangements are still being completed.

Empowerment Scholarship Accounts — ESA

A-FITS accepts Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account funding.

The ESA program is administered by the Arizona Department of Education and gives eligible families access to educational funds that may be used for approved educational expenses, including qualifying private-school tuition.

A-FITS can help families understand how ESA fits into enrollment and the school-side payment process.

Arizona Department of Education ESA Program ↗

New to ESA?

Many families first learn about ESA while searching for a specialized school.

Our team can help families understand where ESA fits into admissions, what information A-FITS may need, how ESA funding can be applied toward tuition, what documentation may be required, what responsibilities remain with the parent or guardian, and how payments are handled once the student is enrolled.

The actual ESA application and account are managed through the Arizona Department of Education.

Educational Records & ESA

Families applying to A-FITS may already have educational records such as IEPs, MET reports, psychoeducational evaluations, diagnostic evaluations, academic assessments, progress reports, therapy reports, behavior information, and previous school records.

These records help us understand the student's educational history and current needs. They may also be relevant to a family's ESA application depending on the student's circumstances and current Arizona Department of Education requirements.

ESA documentation and A-FITS admissions documentation are not always the same thing.

Existing IEPs & the A-FITS ILP

A-FITS reviews existing IEPs, METs, evaluations, and educational records because they provide valuable historical information about academic performance, communication, therapy, behavior, accommodations, previous goals, identified support needs, strategies that have been attempted, and areas of progress.

However, A-FITS is a private school and develops its own Individualized Learning Plan (ILP).

Existing records help us understand where the student has been. The A-FITS ILP helps guide where the student goes next.

Using ESA Toward Tuition

Once a student is accepted and enrolled, ESA funding may be applied toward the student's tuition account in accordance with current Arizona Department of Education procedures.

Families using ESA are responsible for managing their ESA account, maintaining eligibility, monitoring available funds, completing required documentation, submitting payments or approvals, responding to ADE requests, following current ESA payment procedures, and ensuring school payments are completed according to the enrollment agreement.

ESA Funding Varies by Student

ESA funding is not identical for every student.

Award amounts and eligibility are determined by the Arizona Department of Education based on applicable program rules.

Available funding may cover all or a portion of a student's tuition obligation. Families remain responsible for any balance not covered by available educational funding.

ClassWallet & ESA Payments

Arizona ESA families may use approved payment systems such as ClassWallet, depending on current Arizona Department of Education procedures.

Families remain responsible for completing the required steps within their account and making sure transactions are properly submitted and approved.

Because payment procedures can change, families should follow the current instructions provided through their ESA account.

School Tuition Organizations — STOs

Families may also explore scholarships through qualified Arizona School Tuition Organizations.

Different scholarship programs may have different eligibility requirements, application processes, deadlines, award criteria, funding availability, and documentation requirements.

Programs may include categories such as Original Individual, Switcher / Overflow, Disabled / Displaced, and Low-Income Corporate.

A-FITS does not determine STO scholarship awards. Families apply directly through the individual scholarship organizations.

Applying to Multiple STOs

Families may choose to explore more than one School Tuition Organization where permitted.

Each organization has its own application, deadlines, award process, eligibility rules, and funding availability. Submitting an application does not guarantee an award.

ESA, STOs & Other Funding

Families may have access to different funding resources depending on their circumstances.

Because funding rules can vary by program, families should not assume that all scholarships or funding sources can automatically be combined.

A-FITS can help families understand how different funding sources relate to the school's tuition account, while final eligibility rules remain with the applicable agency or scholarship organization.

What If ESA Is Still Pending?

Families do not need to wait for every funding detail to be finalized before exploring A-FITS.

You can still learn about the school, schedule a tour, begin the application process, submit educational records, discuss your child's needs, and move through admissions while funding is still being addressed.

The important first question remains: Is A-FITS the right educational fit for the student?

What If a Family Does Not Use ESA?

ESA is one funding option.

Families may also use private funds, STO scholarships, other eligible educational funding, or a combination of permitted resources.

Family Financial Responsibility

Regardless of funding source, the parent or guardian remains responsible for the student's tuition account under the A-FITS enrollment agreement.

That includes monitoring scholarship balances, completing required funding steps, meeting payment deadlines, resolving incomplete or rejected transactions, maintaining applicable funding eligibility, paying any balance not covered by scholarships or other funding, and communicating with the school when a funding issue arises.

Additional Programs

Some optional A-FITS programs may operate separately from standard tuition.

These may include RISE Extended School Day, certain extracurricular activities, transportation when available, and other optional programs or services.

Availability, capacity, and applicable fees may vary by campus or school year.

RISE Extended School Day

RISE Extended School Day provides before- and after-school programming at all A-FITS campuses.

Hours, availability, capacity, and program details vary by campus.

Transportation

A-FITS transportation is currently offered through the Glendale Campus only and is operating on a waitlist.

Glendale transportation is a home-to-school service provided in A-FITS passenger vans. Scottsdale/PV and Mesa do not currently offer A-FITS transportation.

Funding Should Support the Educational Decision

Families often have two separate questions: “Is this the right school for my child?” and “How will we pay for it?”

Both questions matter, but they are not the same question.

A-FITS first focuses on whether our program can appropriately serve the student. From there, families can work through the funding resources available to them.