41 Days of School Choice: Day 40 – Arizona program empowers parents and puts students first

Phoenix, AZ (Sept. 29, 2014) – The American Federation for Children, the nation’s voice for educational choice, and its state affiliate, the Arizona Federation for Children, come together to highlight Arizona’s Corporate School Tuition Organization Tax Credit program- a program giving students a chance to obtain a high-quality education.

Arizona empowers parents across the state with educational choice options through four programs. One of these programs, the Corporate School Tuition Organization Tax Credit offers corporations the opportunity to donate to scholarship tuition organizations and redirect 100 percent of their state tax liability.

During the 2013-14 school year 11,653 students have been awarded scholarships through this particular program. Each scholarship recipient is from a low-or middle -income family. The program is capped at $42.9 million for the 2014-2015 school year, but increases 20 percent annually.

“The Corporate Tax Credit program offers educational equality to low-income students, who otherwise would not have this opportunity,” said Kevin P. Chavous, executive counsel to the American Federation for Children. “Arizona is allowing the community to be part of the solution and help provide children statewide with high-quality educational options.”

Program Facts:

• Scholarships are capped at $5,000 for K-8
• Scholarships are capped at $6,300 for grades 9-12
• For students to be eligible, family income cannot exceed 185 percent of the median household income ($80,600 for a family of four in 2013)

For more information visit: http://bit.ly/1qYcB15.

Throughout the 41 Days of School Choice campaign, the American Federation for Children will be promoting programs using the hashtag “#41Days”.

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The American Federation for Children is the nation’s leading school choice advocacy organization and works in states across the country to help secure additional, high-quality educational options for families.

Arizona Federation for Children is an organization that supports quality educational options for all parents.