What is the purpose of the Austin CEO Foundation?
The purpose of the Austin CEO Foundation is to equalize educational opportunities for Austin students by offering low income families elementary school options normally denied them because of cost.  The Austin CEO Foundation believes all children deserve a great education regardless of ability to pay.

How do children qualify to apply for an Austin CEO Foundation grant?
There are three criteria. 1. The child must live in Travis County, Texas. 2. The family must qualify using the standards of the reduced-price lunch program. Your family DOES NOT need to be ON the reduced-lunch program.  3. The child must be 5 to 14 years old by September 1st of the application year.

What if a child already attends a non-public (private) school?
We will make available grants to students currently enrolled in private schools.

How can parents find out whether their child qualifies for the federal school lunch program?
Check out our web page How to Qualify or seek assistance from the staff at any school for assistance in applying for our grants.

Who gets in? Are grades important?
This program is strictly first-come, first-served. It is not an academic scholarship, but a need-based grant. The only academic requirement is that the student continues to be enrolled in good standing with the school.  Each month, the school must report to Austin CEO Foundation that the student is in good standing (based on the schools standards and requirements).

How do these moderate and low-income families obtain the necessary information?
Information and application forms are available on our website, at the business office of each private school or by calling our office at 472-0153. A family who wishes to apply should complete the form and mail it to the Austin CEO foundation.  (Hand delivered applications will not be accepted).   Upon acceptance of the student(s) by the school, the principal will complete the school's commitment form  and return it to the Austin CEO Foundation. You may call the Austin CEO Foundation office at 472-0153 for more information.

Is Austin CEO Foundation encouraging children to leave public schools for private schools?
Austin CEO Foundation is merely providing families with financial assistance so that they have the option to choose the best school for their children.

What if parents choose a PUBLIC SCHOOL which is willing to enroll the child for a tuition charge? Will the Foundation accept scholarship applications in these cases?
Yes. If a public school chosen by the parents accepts the students, the Austin CEO Foundation will gladly process the application subject to the same terms and limitations as any other application. A school does not have to be a private school to participate in this program.  Transfer fees are part of the scholarship program.

How much money are you offering?
We will contribute up to $1000 per year per student for three (3) years.

Why not just pay the whole tuition for the families? Then you'd know for certain they could afford private schooling.
This is a helping hand. We want the families to have a stake in this endeavor. If they're also contributing to the cost of education, we believe they will be more involved in their child's education.

Can a school also contribute to helping a family pay for its child's education?
Certainly. If a school wishes to offer a scholarship, we welcome the additional assistance. We do not, however, encourage schools to accept the Foundation's contribution as payment in full.  The school completes a form on a monthly basis and must return it to the Foundation stating that the scholarship recipient is in good standing (as determined by the school) in order for scholarship payments to continue.

Why only elementary-school children? Are you abandoning the high scholars?
The Austin CEO Foundation only has limited resources that must be put to the best use. We believe the earlier you catch a child, the more effect you will have. So we believe we must help the elementary school children first. If the child, however, enters high school during the three-year commitment, the Austin CEO Foundation will continue the grant for the three year term.