School funding for Davis-Monthan military families

The schools around base

Military OneSource lists Borman Elementary (K-5, Tucson Unified) and Sonoran Science Academy on Davis-Monthan, with Roberts Naylor K-8 and Palo Verde High as the TUSD neighborhood schools. It also notes that base families use open enrollment, charters, private schools and homeschooling. The base School Liaison office can be reached at 520-228-6040, and the Exceptional Family Member Program at 520-228-5690.

Your child qualifies for the ESA on day one

Every Arizona K-12 student is eligible today, but the military category still matters. A child of an active-duty member of the armed forces, including the Space Force and Coast Guard, is exempt from the rule that some categories require 45 days in a public school. Apply with current orders that show the dependent, the duty station, active status and branch, plus proof of your Tucson address.

STO scholarships for military kids

Being the dependent of a service member stationed in Arizona on orders is one of the qualifying conditions for switcher-credit and low-income corporate STO scholarships. Moving into Arizona from another state is itself a qualifying condition too, so a newly arrived family usually meets the switcher rules on two counts. As always, a child on an ESA can't also take an STO award that year.

Timing a PCS move

The ESA funds in quarters. ADE has 30 days to issue an award once your file is complete, setup takes about three weeks, and money begins in the quarter the contract is signed. Apply as soon as you have orders and a lease. If you arrive mid-year, ask the private school whether it will hold a seat while ClassWallet catches up.

Leaving Arizona

ESA money is tied to Arizona residency. AZPM reported that some parents faced fraud charges after spending ESA funds following a move out of state, so stop spending and close or pause the account when you receive orders elsewhere. A ballot measure that would have protected military families' ESA funds, Prop 145, was blocked by the Arizona Supreme Court in August 2026.

Private schools on the east and south sides near the base (36)

* Enrollment reported to the NCES Private School Survey (2023-24 or 2021-22). "STO lists" counts the School Tuition Organizations whose published school list included the school (Oct 2026). Arizona has no state list of ESA schools; ask each school whether it accepts ESA payments through ClassWallet.

Next step

Ready to see your own numbers? The funding check takes about two minutes, and a School Funding Advisor will go over each Tucson source you qualify for and the next deadline that applies.

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