Partnering With Purpose

While Arete's approach to tuition tax credit scholarships focuses on students and empowers low-income families, we recognize the importance of partnering with a diverse selection of excellent schools. The growing network of Arete schools - currently more than 130 strong - is committed to providing educational opportunities to low-income families and building a foundation for achievement for students throughout Georgia.

Eligible for use at any qualified and participating private school in the state, Arete scholarships enable families to choose an educational environment that best suits individual learning needs and most effectively facilitates a lifelong pursuit of excellence.

Meeting A Need

Far too many children from low-income families lack the opportunity to discover and use their unique gifts and talents. On the 2008-09 Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT), students on free or reduced-price lunch failed in reading, language arts and math at more than three times the rate of other students. In high school, they failed all four parts of the graduation test at three times the rate. On the closely watched National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 49% of all economically disadvantaged fourth-graders and 43% of eighth-graders recently rated below basic in reading.

Those results are unacceptable by any standard. But together, we have a unique opportunity to change those trends and transform lives, families, and futures.

Becoming an Arete School

Arete Scholars Fund is committed to providing low-income children in K4-12 an educational option that might help them succeed. Arete scholarships are based on the income guidelines for the federal free and reduced lunch program and pay up to $5,800 per year for tuition and fees. (Click here for eligibility guidelines.)

Setting a new statewide standard for accountability, corporate trust and focus on low-income families, Arete is also committed to delivering an excellent experience to our school community. Here are a few guiding principles:

• Scholarships will be available only to lower-income families, and we will verify household income every year for every family.
• Parents may choose any eligible and participating school in Georgia. Our approach is strictly non-sectarian.
• Arete will seek primarily corporate tax credit donations and will not assign contributions to any individual school or student.
• Arete will be transparent, providing annual financial audits and student demographic data.

Our non-exclusive School Participation Agreement can be downloaded by clicking the button below.

School Participation Agreement