How the funding fits
$7,105–$10,540
Every Arizona student from kindergarten through 12th grade can open an Empowerment Scholarship Account. The latest ADE chart, labeled 2025-26 (ADE estimate; the 2026-27 chart isn't posted yet), puts the range for the grades Carden Christian Academy Central serves at $4,718–$6,205 (K) and $7,105–$10,540 (grades 1-12); where a student lands depends on grade and the public school they would otherwise attend. A qualified private school is paid from the account once it is set up as a ClassWallet vendor, and because the state keeps no list of those schools, ask Carden Christian Academy Central directly before you count on it.
Takes STO scholarships from: ACSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona (per each STO's published school list, Oct 2026). Each STO decides its own awards, so apply separately to each one and expect no guarantee. Keep in mind that STO aid is the alternative to the ESA: a parent who signs an ESA contract agrees not to take an STO scholarship for that child in the same year.
Preschoolers are enrolled here too. The universal ESA doesn't begin until kindergarten, so ask about the school's own preschool pricing and whether it takes DES child care assistance or Quality First scholarships.
Many Tucson church schools offer a member or congregation rate and see families supported by ACSTO, IBE and other STOs, so ask how the school combines its discounts with ESA or STO funding.
Check my funding for this school →
From the public records
According to the federal Private School Survey (2023-24), the school had 53 students, 4.6 full-time-equivalent teachers, an 11.5:1 student-teacher ratio and grades PK-8, with a Christian (no specific denomination) religious orientation.
Memberships/accreditation listed by: ACSI. These come from the associations' public directories. A membership listing is not always the same as accreditation, so ask Carden Christian Academy Central for its current status.
Questions for your visit
- Is Carden Christian Academy Central set up as a ClassWallet vendor so ESA tuition can be paid directly?
- What does tuition cost for my child's grade, and which required fees can the ESA cover?
- Which STOs do your families apply to, including CTSO or IBE, and what are their dates?
- Do you offer member, parish, sibling or need-based discounts on the remaining balance?
After grade 8: schools nearby that keep going
Carden Christian Academy Central ends at grade 8. These schools serve grade 9 through 12 and are among the closest of the same tradition:
- Veritas Academy of Tucson: grades K-12, about 2 mi away · 4 STO lists
- Tucson Baptist Academy: grades K-12, about 4 mi away · 5 STO lists
- Desert Christian School: grades PK-12, about 4 mi away · 5 STO lists
- Calvary Chapel Christian School: grades K-12, about 5 mi away · 4 STO lists
Nearby schools with full profiles
- St. Cyril Elementary School: Catholic School, grades K-8, 1.0 mi · 2 STO lists
- The Gregory School: Independent School, grades 5-12, 1.1 mi · 3 STO lists
- Castlehill Country Day School: Independent School, grades PK-5, 1.2 mi · 1 STO lists
- Tucson Hebrew Academy: Jewish & Islamic School, grades K-8, 1.6 mi · 3 STO lists
- Veritas Academy of Tucson: Christian School, grades K-12, 1.6 mi · 4 STO lists
- Tucson Waldorf School: Independent School, grades PK-8, 1.9 mi · 3 STO lists
We list 24 private schools in Catalina Foothills & the East Side, and 22 of them are on at least one STO school list.