Board keeps ESA tuition rate unchanged, agrees to revisit in December
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Summary
The Agua Fria governing board voted to keep the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) tuition rate at the previously adopted amount for 2025–26 and to revisit the rate in December; board members debated whether extracurricular and activity fees for ESA students are equitable compared with in-district students.
The governing board voted June 4 to retain the district's existing Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) tuition rate for the 2025–26 school year and to revisit the rate in December for the 2026–27 school year.
District staff described how the rate was calculated last year by totaling per-student revenue sources (base support level, district additional assistance, M&O override, classroom site funds and similar enrollment-driven dollars), arriving at just over $10,000 per full-time student. Staff said they divided that annual per-student figure by eight to derive a per-semester course amount and reported that calculation produced $1,270.23; an extracurricular participation rate of $1,000 was also established last year and staff recommended it remain unchanged for 2025–26.
"We propose to keep that rate the same as the board adopted a year ago," a district finance staff member said, and noted that only a small number of ESA students used district courses or extracurriculars last year (one student enrolled in a course and three students paid the extracurricular fee). Several board members questioned whether a $1,000 extracurricular fee for ESA students was equitable compared with in-district participation fees (board members cited typical in-district athletics or activity fees of about $100 per season). Board members asked staff to consider bringing updated calculations to the board in December using revised enrollment and state-budget figures.
The motion to maintain the current ESA tuition rate for 2025–26 and to revisit the rates in December passed with roll-call votes recorded as: Silk, yes; Naylor, yes; Colton, yes; Landis, yes.
District staff recommended the December review to allow updated budget and enrollment figures (including the state budget once finalized) to inform any change to the formula-based rate. Staff also suggested that if the board wanted to revisit fees earlier they could direct staff to bring it back sooner, but the vote preserved the previously adopted approach for the coming school year.
