Microschool laws in Arizona

A parent-responsibility-free model where your microschool operates as a § 15-802 private school teaching the five required subjects. Arizona imposes no state registration, accreditation, license, curriculum review, or teacher-certification requirement — the regulatory baseline is effectively just local zoning, health, and fire code. Most microschools pursue ESA 'qualified school' status under § 15-2401 to accept scholarship funds (average ~$7,000-$8,000/student; up to $32,000+ for students with disabilities). Qualified-school requirements are modest: nondiscrimination, fingerprint background checks, and norm-referenced testing for grades 3-12.

A shared-resource model where families use the A.R.S. § 15-802(B)(2) home instruction pathway (parent files affidavit of intent with county superintendent) and come together at your facility for programming, curriculum support, and social learning. Families may separately enroll in the Arizona ESA on the homeschool-equivalent track, which substantially changes the economics — ESA families can use their ~$7,000+ in annual funds to pay co-op fees, making Arizona co-ops unusually well-funded compared to other states.

Arizona does not have a certified-tutor exemption from compulsory attendance. The five recognized pathways in § 15-802(B) are: public school, charter school, private school, home instruction (by parent), and ESA contract. A tutor operating a small-group practice would typically structure as either a private school (teaching the five subjects under § 15-802) or as an ESA-approved service provider where individual families use ESA funds to pay for tutoring. A "solo tutor exemption" analogous to Virginia's § 22.1-254(A) certified-tutor option does not exist in Arizona statute.

A congregation-connected model operating as a private school under § 15-802. Same regulatory baseline as Independent Private School — no state registration, accreditation, or curriculum review. Faith integration is fully permitted. Religious schools are eligible for Arizona ESA "qualified school" status on the same basis as secular schools and are eligible for Individual and Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship dollars through certified School Tuition Organizations (STOs). Arizona's STO program operates independently of ESA — some families use both, some use only one.

A pre-compulsory-age model for children under 6. Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS) Bureau of Child Care Licensing regulates child care facilities under A.R.S. Title 36 and A.A.C. Title 9, Chapter 5. Thresholds: caring for up to 4 children for compensation in a home is NOT regulated (does not require certification); 5+ children in any facility requires AZDHS licensing (Child Care Center or Child Care Group Home). Important exemption: a regularly organized PRIVATE SCHOOL engaged in a K-1-12 educational program that could substitute for public school is EXEMPT from AZDHS child care regulation during school hours — but before/after-care or care for children not enrolled in K-1-12 grade programs triggers Child Care Group Home licensing.

A part-time program where children attend 2-3 days per week at your facility and complete instruction at home the remaining days. Arizona offers three structural paths: (a) families use the § 15-802(B)(2) home instruction pathway (affidavit of intent) and your program is a co-op; (b) families enroll in your program as a private school (you become the educational authority); (c) families use ESA contracts and your program is an ESA-approved vendor. The ESA path is most common because it unlocks ~$7,000-$8,000 per student that families can spend with you without changing the compulsory-attendance framework.

A satellite model operating under an established Arizona private school's governance. Because Arizona imposes no state registration or accreditation on private schools, umbrella arrangements are operationally trivial at the state level — the umbrella school simply incorporates the satellite into its operations. The main structural question is ESA qualified-school status: the umbrella school can list the satellite as an operating location, though ADE may require the satellite's location, personnel, and fingerprint records to be separately documented.