Frequently Asked Questions

After graduation and/or completing your program, you have a 12-month grace period before you must submit proof of teaching or repay. You may submit this proof early if you want. To submit proof that you are in a teaching contract you will need to submit the Service Obligation form showing that you are in a contract.  The form needs to be completed twice a school year.  Once at the beginning (first check box on the form) and then after the end of the contract (second check box on the form).

If you choose not to fulfill your service obligation, ECSI will provide you with a payment schedule. Repayment of your scholarship will be handled by ECSI.

Yes, there are unique situations for which you can request a deferment of your teaching service, such as disability or a call to active military duty. To submit a deferment complete the Deferment form. If you have questions, contact ECSI.

The communication you receive from ECSI will provide you with information about setting up your account.

Once you have created a profile, you need to connect to your account.

• Your account key is located in the upper right-hand section of all printed and mailed communications you receive from ECSI. For email communications, your account key is located in the lower left-hand corner. You can also search for your account key using your first and last name, social security number and zip code on the ECSI website.

The account key is a 17-character alphanumeric number with a hyphen. A sample account key is 01122-12345678912.

You can use your existing ECSI account to access your Arizona Teachers Academy scholarship information. You do not need to create a separate account. Once you have logged into your account you can add your ATA scholarship via the new ECSI Heartland key you have been provided.

Once you create a ECSI account, locate the Service Obligation form which is designed to help you report that you have a teaching contract and you have completed the year of teaching. Again, please be sure to type “Arizona Teachers Academy” when ECSI prompts you for your “school name.”

The Arizona Teachers Academy requirement is that you must teach full-time in an Arizona qualified school for one year for every academic year (or any portion of an academic year) you receive funding. Qualified schools would include all district and public charter schools in Arizona, plus the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind, and any “School that serves primarily public school students with disabilities,” which is a school in which more than seventy-five percent of the students enrolled in the school are public school students who are placed at the school according to an agreement with a public school.

All graduates have a 12-month grace period to secure a position or begin monetary repayment of your scholarship.

No, Arizona Teachers Academy scholarships do not accrue interest.

Yes. Once your school determines that you meet the qualifications for certification, it will notify the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) that you are an ATA graduate. ADE’s certification application process will waive the associated fees once ADE receives your information from the school you attended. Your fees will only be waived once ADE receives the information from your school.

Yes. Your school can issue a voucher for the exam. Please contact your school to receive a voucher.