To be eligible for financial aid from Parents Challenge, you must be a resident of El Paso County, Colorado and meet federal income guidelines based on your total family income and the number of people in your household. These levels are the same ones used to determine eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Lunches by schools and are summarized below:
Two people
$32,227
Three people
$40,626
Four people
$49,025
Five people
$57,424
Six people
$65,823
More than 6: Add $8,399 for each additional person
Verifying Eligibility – When requested, please submit a copy of your federal income tax return and verify the number of people in your household and your income.
Financial aid recipients are required to attend all scheduled Parents Challenge Meetings throughout the year and must commit to active participation in their child’s education. Before you are approved, you must attend an orientation meeting to learn more about our program. Parents are required to volunteer at least 10 hours per semester.
You are welcome to attend Parent Advocacy Sessions at any time.
Parents Challenge offers financial aid for students whose families meet federal eligibility requirements and who choose private, public (traditional), public (charter) or home schooling.
For those choosing private school:
Scholarships (up to $2,100 per year) are paid directly to the private school of your choice as partial payment for annual tuition. Payment plans are negotiated with the school upon confirmation that your student has been accepted for enrollment. Parent(s) are responsible for the remainder of the tuition and any other fees, materials, and transportation that may be required for enrollment in the private school. Checks are issued to the school with the parent verifying acceptance of scholarship.
For those choosing traditional public, charter public, or home schooling:
Grants (up to $1,100 per year) for academic enhancement programs during the school year, such as: tutoring, on-line programs, computers, academic software programs, required uniforms, transportation, activity fees, and other uses approved by the Parents Challenge staff. Grants can be used for summer school programs as well. Grants are paid to the parent(s) provided the expenditure is authorized in advance AND receipts are submitted to Parents Challenge for acknowledgement of expenditure.
Limits
Because Parents Challenge seeks to help as many families as possible,
each family may receive scholarships or grants for only two students in any given year.
Renewing your financial aid
Involvement requirements
Eligible Parents Challenge parents must re-apply each year to renew scholarships or grants. The renewal process will occur during the months of April (packets will be sent at the beginning of March for verification). Parents Challenge parents will be required to:
· Re-verify their income, number in household
and residency
· Confirm financial status with attending school
· Confirm student’s performance at overall
“C” grade or better
· Affirm their participation in the empowerment process
· Current families must have met the prior year requirements before their application is finalized for the next school year
· I will maintain a current email for contact with Parents Challenge
· I will attend the required parent sessions during the school year
· I will volunteer at least 10 hours per semester at my school of choice or community organization
· I will submit the required parent/student journal on time
· I will fulfill the parent commitments signed at orientation
Parents Challenge is a parental choice organization and we create partnerships with families, so they can become better education consumers. We are not philanthropist.