Why the disability ESA changes the math
The universal ESA tops out around $7,105–$10,540, which won't cover a specialized program. The disability chart is different: $8,423-$12,001 for a specific learning disability or speech-language impairment, and $34,121-$47,725 for autism or multiple disabilities, on ADE's 2025-26 estimate. That's often enough to make a small therapeutic school or a mix of school and private therapy affordable.
Getting the paperwork from your district
The category in the evaluation sets the amount. If your child attended Tucson Unified, Amphitheater, Marana, Vail, Sahuarita or Catalina Foothills, request copies of the current MET report and IEP or 504 plan before you leave. If the evaluation is old or never happened, an independent educational evaluation is accepted at application. Statewide, ADE counted 11,435 ESA students with autism in mid-2026.
Schools in Pima County with a special-education focus
Our records flag schools by name and federal typology, including Autism Academy for Education & Development on East Broadway, The Abbie School on East 14th Street, Renaissance Academy, Arizona Behavior & Autism and The Village: School of Abilities in Green Valley. Many mainstream schools also take students with IEPs; ask what support they provide, and how they work from your child's plan.
Paying for therapy, aides and testing
For a student with a disability, the ESA can pay licensed or accredited therapists, including the part insurance won't, a paraprofessional or aide, evaluations, assistive technology rentals and braille. Providers need to invoice in detail, and ADE uses an outside reviewer to confirm eligibility for therapies. The debit card is available for these students, with receipts due after each quarter.
If you're also eligible for STO help
Students with a current or expired MET or IEP, or a 504 plan, can qualify for corporate disabled/displaced scholarships, and original-credit scholarships cover preschoolers with disabilities too. As with every STO award, these can't be used while an ESA contract is active for that child, so families usually compare once and revisit each spring.
Special-needs schools in our Pima County records (6)
| School | Type | Community | Grades | STO lists | Students* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Behavior & Autism Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Autism Academy for Education & Development 6880 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson 85710 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | 1-12 | 2 APSTO, School Choice Arizona | 99 |
| Intermountain Academy 401 N Bonita Ave, Tucson 85745 | Independent Schools | Northwest Tucson, Oro Valley & Marana | 1-12 | 1 IBE | 101 |
| Renaissance Academy Tucson 4064 E 22nd St., Tucson 85711 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | 4-12 | 1 APSTO | 33 |
| The Abbie School 5870 E 14th St., Tucson 85711 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | 2-12 | 4 APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 83 |
| The Village: School of Abilities Green Valley · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | South Side, Sahuarita, Green Valley & Vail | Not reported | 2 ACSTO, IBE | — |
* 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.