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Government Empowerment Scholarship (ESA)

What is the Government Program called the Empowerment Scholarship (ESA)?
 
Parents have the right to choose what’s best for their family and have their education tax dollars pay for the school that meets their child’s needs. Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) make that possible.  With the ESA program, the money that would pay for that student’s education in a neighborhood school follows that student to whichever school the parents choose for their child, including education at home.
 
This is a government contract between the family and the Arizona Department of Education and is highly regulated.  It is the responsibility of the family to read and understand all contractual obligations of the contract.  All questions need to be addressed by you to the help desk at ESA:  https://www.azed.gov/esa
Seton Finance Staff is not permitted to assist you with questions on your ESA contract or Class wallet account.
 
2024/2025 SETON ESA Policies & Procedures

We look forward to assisting you with your 24/25 ESA Contract. We ask that you please use the dedicated email box for ESA Families for all communications: [email protected]
 
Parents taking ESA Funding for the 24/25 Academic Year will need to notify the Finance Department by July 15, 2024 – Parents/Guardians will need to make the decision to use either ESA or STO Funding for their student by this deadline. Seton will apply ESA Funding to annual tuition first until the balance is paid in full, before allocating these funds to activity fees, summer school, etc. Families on the ESA Contract program may not pause the family payments.  We stand ready to help each family in the Seton Community make a Catholic Education affordable but need to ensure there are no large unexpected balances due in May 2025.  As a responsible Catholic School, we are obligated to collect all fees owed to us in a timely manner to continue providing quality education. 
 
Regulations using STO and/or ESA: If a student starts the school year on ESA, then the parent cancels the ESA contract during the school year, that student may receive tax credit scholarships for the remainder of the academic year after the ESA contract was cancelled. STO's will fund the student beginning the quarter following the ESA contract cancellation. Parents that withdraw their student from the ESA program will receive an email indicating their ESA account is closed.  This document must be provided to the STO to start receiving tax credit scholarships. Managing this process is the sole responsibility of the parent or guardian. Seton Finance Department must be notified within 10 business days of this decision by the family.
 

Seton will offer TWO OPTIONS to families using ESA Funding for Academic year 24/25:

OPTION 1: If the ESA Contract Holder names SETON as the Vendor for direct payments:
  1. We will need a copy of the fully executed Empowerment Scholarship contract from the AZ Department of Education for your student - this must have both your signature as well as that of the AZ Department of Education and it must clearly show the date the contract was executed (PDF please, no partial screenshots can be accepted)
  2. Seton Must receive this contract within 30 days of execution
  3. Please make a statement by email that you have received and understand Principal Serna’s Statement Notice Regarding Tuition Funding Program
  4. Please send verification that you have completed the setup of your class wallet account and certify that SETON will be named as the vendor for all payments
  5. Once these items are received and processed Seton will gladly work with you to make adjustments to your FACTS account to reflect the portion of tuition covered by ESA and the remainder that will be the family’s obligation.
  6. Seton will send all 4 quarter invoices to you and you will be responsible to collect your funding through class wallet and name Seton as the Vendor for payment in a timely manner. Once payment is received by class wallet it will be applied to the ESA portion of tuition (not the family contribution) which will show in May 2025.  Seton will apply the net payment after the Class Wallet fee deduction to your May 2025 balance. Because Class Wallet withholds a processing fee from your direct pay to Seton, there will be small balance due in May 2025
  7. Seton reserves the right to remove a family from Option 1 if the family is not able/willing to post their invoice(s) in a timely manner to their class wallet account to direct payment to Seton.
 
OPTION 2: If the ESA Contract Holder chooses to take direct reimbursement of the quarterly funding:
  1. We will need a copy of the fully executed Empowerment Scholarship contract from the AZ Department of Education for your student - this must have both your signature as well as that of the AZ Department of Education and it must clearly show the date the contract was executed (PDF please, no partial screenshots can be accepted)
  2. Seton Must receive this contract within 30 days of execution
  3. Your FACTS account will be set up on a ten pay from August 2024 to May 2025 in the amount of $1,438 for students with the Catholic Tuition rate or $1,915 for students at the non-Catholic tuition rate.   There will be no pause/holds on these payments.
  4. The ESA Contract holder will need to log into their FACTS account and download receipts of payments made toward tuition each quarter.  The ESA Contract holder will need to upload these receipts along with a copy of your checking account or credit card statement to verify these payments for direct reimbursement.  Seton Finance Department will not issue receipts to parents; receipts must be obtained through your FACTS account each quarter.  Please see below for instructions to retrieve your Receipt of payment
  5. ESA Contract holders taking direct reimbursement will avoid the class wallet service fee.
NOTE: Inaccuracies will change the amount due and the payment amount. If the information you have provided is incorrect, you will be responsible for the unpaid tuition balance if an adjustment is needed.  

 

Option 2 - Self Serve instructions to retrieve your paid receipt:

Here are the instructions to retrieving your quarterly receipt from the parent login to your FACTS account:

  1. Log in to Your FACTS account at the end of each quarter (September, December, March, May)
  2. From the parent Home Page please click VIEW DETAILS (next to Payment Plan & Billing)
  3. Click on VIEW PAYMENT SUMMARY in the blue box
  4. Under your student’s name there will be a drop down box - please click here and choose DATE RANGE
  5. Place the date range for the quarter you are seeking reimbursement. Example: 7/1/2023 to 9/30/2023
  6. Click VIEW in the green box
  7. This is your receipt to upload to your class wallet.
  8. In the upper right hand corner, you will see PRINT
  9. Click and print this as a PDF for your records - this is what you'll upload to your class wallet for direct reimbursement

 

Helpline for your FACTS account questions: 866.441.4637

Finance Office

Linda Surovick
Director of Finance
480.963.1900, Ext. 2072
[email protected]

 
Cindy Ostrowski
Tuition Manager
480.963.1900, Ext. 2010
[email protected]