San Diego homeschool charters: funding compared
How much each charter gives per child for classes and curriculum, and how sure we are about each number. We only call something “official” when it's on the school's own site.
| Charter | Per child / year | Notes & sources | Vendor list | Confirmed SD vendors here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Coast Academy | $3,800 (TK-8) / $4,000 (9-12), 2024-25 School’s own document, older than 12 months School year: 2024-25 | Official, but dated. PCA's public handbook lists 2024-25 planning amounts. We could not find a public 2026-27 figure. Sister schools Cabrillo Point and Mission Vista publish $4,000 / $4,200 for 2026-27, but that is not PCA's own number. PCA rule: services may not exceed $500 per calendar month per vendor. PCA Parent/Student Handbook (2024-25 planning amounts) | PCA's approved list sits inside its logged-in Enrichment Ordering System. | 19 |
| Cabrillo Point Academy | $4,000 (TK-8) / $4,200 (9-12) School’s own document School year: 2026-27 | From the school's 2026-27 Parent Student Handbook. Prorated by enrollment date. Cabrillo Point Academy 2026-27 Parent Student Handbook (PDF) CPA handbook page | Cabrillo Point's approved list is in the logged-in CPA Homeschool Hub. Product vendors don't need pre-approval; service vendors do. | 8 |
| Elite Academic Academy | $3,300 (TK-8) / $3,650 (9-12), 2025-26 School’s own document, older than 12 months School year: 2025-26 | From Elite's 2025-26 Parent-Student Handbook (marked DRAFT), which covers both the Lucerne Valley and Mountain Empire programs. Paid in two distributions (Aug 1 and Dec 1). We did not find a 2026-27 figure. Older third-party pages say $2,700 or $3,900. Elite Academic Academy 25-26 Parent-Student Handbook (PDF) | Public vendor search (OPS). We filtered to San Diego County service vendors. | 141 |
| BEST Academy | up to $3,800-$4,000 School’s own document School year: current page | BEST's own pages say "up to $4,000" on one page and "up to $3,800" on another. BEST Academy - Curriculum & Enrichment Partners BEST Academy - Homeschool Pathways | Public vendor search (OPS). We filtered to San Diego County service vendors. | 38 |
| Compass Charter Schools | about $2,400 (TK) / $3,000 (K-8) / $3,300 (9-12) Estimate School year: 2026-27 | Estimate from a third-party guide. Compass's own handbook PDF did not download for us. CA Homeschool Hub funding guide (marked Estimated) | Public vendor search (OPS). We filtered to San Diego County service vendors. | 43 |
| Sage Oak Charter School | not published for 2026-27 (2022 handbook: $2,200 TK/K, $2,700 grades 1-8, $2,900 grades 9-12) Sources disagree School year: 2026-27 | Sage Oak's own handbook (revised Aug 8, 2022) lists a maximum of $2,200 for TK/K, $2,700 for grades 1-8 and $2,900 for grades 9-12 for full-year enrollment, prorated for later starts. We did not find a 2026-27 figure from Sage Oak. A third-party guide estimates $3,200-$3,800 (TK-8) / $3,800-$4,200 (9-12); we could not confirm that. Ask the school. CA Homeschool Hub funding guide (marked Estimated) HomeschoolLeap charter finder | Public vendor search (OPS). We filtered to San Diego County service vendors. | 86 |
| Excel Academy | $3,400 (TK-8) / $3,900 (9-12) School’s own document School year: 2026-27 | Personalized Path, from Excel's official ordering guidelines (updated 05/14/2026). Virtual Path grades 1-8: $2,000. Funds cannot pay for transportation or field-trip travel. Note: a third-party guide shows $3,800, which does not match. Excel Academy Ordering Guidelines 2026-27 (PDF) | Public vendor search (OPS). We filtered to San Diego County service vendors. | 85 |
| Suncoast (Charter School / Prep Academy) | $3,800 (TK-8) / $4,000 (9-12) School’s own document School year: current page | From the school's Prospective Families page ("subject to depreciation"). Suncoast Prep - Prospective Families | Public vendor search (OPS). We filtered to San Diego County service vendors. | 159 |
| SoCal Scholars Academy | Unknown Unknown | We could not find a public amount on SoCal Scholars' or Dehesa's pages. Dehesa SD - SoCal Scholars Academy page | Public vendor search (OPS). We filtered to San Diego County service vendors. | 142 |
| Dimensions Collaborative School | No per-child amount School’s own document School year: current page | Dimensions says funds go to the Educational Facilitator's budget, not a set amount per child, and it offers a lot in-house (learning centers in Escondido and Mission Valley). Dimensions FAQ | Dimensions vendors are managed by Element Education; we did not find a public searchable list. | 3 |
| Sparrow Academy | $3,500 per year School’s own document School year: current page | From Sparrow's FAQ. Late starters get a prorated amount ($19.44 per missed day). Up to $400/month toward an enrichment program is "the norm". Sparrow Academy Homeschool FAQ | Sparrow publishes a simple public vendor list. | 11 |
| Mission Vista Academy | $4,000 (TK-8) / $4,200 (9-12) School’s own document School year: 2026-27 | From the school's 2026-27 Parent Student Handbook. Mission Vista Academy 2026-27 Parent Student Handbook (PDF) MVA handbook page | Mission Vista's approved list is in the logged-in MVA Homeschool Hub. | 8 |
| Julian Charter School | Up to 625 Educational Units per semester (K-8) / 500 (9-12) Reported (copy of a school document) School year: undated | Julian uses "Educational Units" (EUs) for approved vendor classes, not a dollar amount, per its EF handbook. We did not find a public dollar value per EU. Students need a voucher before attending a vendor. Julian Charter School EF Support Handbook (copy hosted by a news site) | Julian's vendor list sits in its logged-in vendor program (Parent Portal). | 2 |
| Freedom Academy (Literacy First) | Not published Unknown | Freedom's FAQ says each child gets a yearly budget that covers curriculum and most enrichment, but does not give the amount. Freedom Academy FAQ | Freedom publishes its approved vendor list as a public Google Sheet. | 125 |
| Springs Charter Schools (incl. Pacific Springs) | $1,250 (full year, K-12) School’s own document School year: 2026-27 | From Springs' 2026-27 Student Funding Calendar: $1,250 if starting Aug 19, 2026, prorated daily after that. Springs also offers many classes at its own learning centers. Serves San Diego County. Springs Student Funding Calendar 2026-2027 Springs Homeschool (TK-12) page | Springs' vendor list is inside its family portal; we did not find a public search. | 2 |
Pacific Coast Academy
Official, but dated. PCA's public handbook lists 2024-25 planning amounts. We could not find a public 2026-27 figure. Sister schools Cabrillo Point and Mission Vista publish $4,000 / $4,200 for 2026-27, but that is not PCA's own number. PCA rule: services may not exceed $500 per calendar month per vendor.
Cabrillo Point Academy
From the school's 2026-27 Parent Student Handbook. Prorated by enrollment date.
Elite Academic Academy
From Elite's 2025-26 Parent-Student Handbook (marked DRAFT), which covers both the Lucerne Valley and Mountain Empire programs. Paid in two distributions (Aug 1 and Dec 1). We did not find a 2026-27 figure. Older third-party pages say $2,700 or $3,900.
BEST Academy
BEST's own pages say "up to $4,000" on one page and "up to $3,800" on another.
Compass Charter Schools
Estimate from a third-party guide. Compass's own handbook PDF did not download for us.
Sage Oak Charter School
Sage Oak's own handbook (revised Aug 8, 2022) lists a maximum of $2,200 for TK/K, $2,700 for grades 1-8 and $2,900 for grades 9-12 for full-year enrollment, prorated for later starts. We did not find a 2026-27 figure from Sage Oak. A third-party guide estimates $3,200-$3,800 (TK-8) / $3,800-$4,200 (9-12); we could not confirm that. Ask the school.
Excel Academy
Personalized Path, from Excel's official ordering guidelines (updated 05/14/2026). Virtual Path grades 1-8: $2,000. Funds cannot pay for transportation or field-trip travel. Note: a third-party guide shows $3,800, which does not match.
Suncoast (Charter School / Prep Academy)
From the school's Prospective Families page ("subject to depreciation").
SoCal Scholars Academy
We could not find a public amount on SoCal Scholars' or Dehesa's pages.
Dimensions Collaborative School
Dimensions says funds go to the Educational Facilitator's budget, not a set amount per child, and it offers a lot in-house (learning centers in Escondido and Mission Valley).
Sources
Sparrow Academy
From Sparrow's FAQ. Late starters get a prorated amount ($19.44 per missed day). Up to $400/month toward an enrichment program is "the norm".
Mission Vista Academy
From the school's 2026-27 Parent Student Handbook.
Julian Charter School
Julian uses "Educational Units" (EUs) for approved vendor classes, not a dollar amount, per its EF handbook. We did not find a public dollar value per EU. Students need a voucher before attending a vendor.
Freedom Academy (Literacy First)
Freedom's FAQ says each child gets a yearly budget that covers curriculum and most enrichment, but does not give the amount.
Sources
Springs Charter Schools (incl. Pacific Springs)
From Springs' 2026-27 Student Funding Calendar: $1,250 if starting Aug 19, 2026, prorated daily after that. Springs also offers many classes at its own learning centers. Serves San Diego County.
Checked 2026-10-23. “School’s own document” = the charter’s handbook, guidelines or website. Anything older than 12 months is flagged. “Reported” = a copy of a school document hosted elsewhere. “Estimate” = a third-party guide that marks it as an estimate. New to this? Read how charter funds work.