About ACSTO
No Arizona family should have to say they can't afford a Christian School
ACSTO exists to make Christian Education affordable for everyone through effective implementation of the Arizona Private School Tuition Tax Credit law. Since 1998, ACSTO has transformed dollar-for-dollar tax credit donations made by Arizona taxpayers into valuable tuition scholarships — giving thousands of children the opportunity to attend Christian Schools in our state.
We see a future when no Arizona family will say, “We wish we could put our children in a Christian School, but we just can’t afford it.”
Parents, schools, and donors have trusted ACSTO for over 25 years because we operate on biblical principles, exercise transparency, and go to great lengths to protect a parent’s right to choose the best educational option for their child.
Here's why 108,000 donors trust ACSTO
We Are Distinctly Christian
Our passion is Christian Education. We partner with more than 130 Christian Schools across the state of Arizona to build God's kingdom.
We Are Good Stewards
We award 92% of all donations as scholarships — greater than the 90% required by law! We have earned Charity Navigator's top Four-Star rating since 2016.
We Are School Choice Champions
Our leadership stays continuously engaged with policymakers and school choice advocates to promote educational freedom for parents, both through choice and affordability.
We Have Excellent Customer Service & Resources
Our team members have the best training and are available to assist you. We also offer numerous helpful resources for donors, parents, and schools.
Our History
ACSTO was founded in 1998 as the first school tuition organization (STO) in the United States. Although the Arizona Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Individual Scholarship Tax Credit in 1999, when litigation from opponents continued, ACSTO (together with the Institute for Justice and Alliance Defending Freedom) defended the tax credit program for 12 more years. On April 4, 2011, ACSTO finally prevailed when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in our favor in ACSTO v. Winn.
Since 1998, we have awarded over $370 million in tuition scholarships to 50,500 students attending Christian Schools in Arizona. More than 108,000 visionary taxpayers have made this possible by donating to ACSTO and taking advantage of Arizona’s unique opportunity to receive a dollar-for-dollar credit against their state income tax obligation. We are proud to be Arizona’s largest STO for the Individual Tax Credit donations.
Today, we are excited to see families all over the United States vigorously pursuing the freedom to choose whatever educational option best meets their children’s needs. What began in Arizona more than 25 years ago continues to spread across the country as state after state adopts school choice programs of their own.
