Most people in Mesa have never heard of Golladay Learning Center.
It doesn’t have a giant campus or a marketing department. What it does have is something special: a place where children can find a different approach to education in a Christ-centered homeschool-style setting.
The students here are smiling, confident, and thriving in ways their parents once thought impossible. Once you learn their story, you realize there are kids in Mesa who need this school. And this school needs us.
Brian and Sheyda started this school through inspiration when they were having a difficult time finding a school for their two autistic children. After they began, other families wanted to join in. They were spiritually guided to model this school after the idea of individualized education, real-world preparedness, and a Christ centered focus.
In a typical day, you could walk in and see children learning how to cook, trading in the stock market, working on a business plan, cutting hair, designing projects for 3D printing, laser engraving, coding video games, raising chickens, washing eggs, gardening, or reading books.
They might be working on math, reading, or writing, and they most definitely would have a project going on, such as building electric go-karts, pontoons, or a chicken coop. The ages range from kindergarten through high school, providing a family-like setting where the older kids learn to teach and mentor the younger kids. The student body also has mixed abilities, such as autism.
Brian and Sheyda hire teachers and are teachers there themselves, but they do not run this school for a profit; they run it as a calling from God. Sheyda graduated from medical school but became a stay-at-home mom as their two first children were autistic. She has gone back to school to achieve her Montessori teaching certificate as well as a master’s in education. Brian still works as a tax accountant with degrees in accounting and an MBA and is currently back in school working on a doctorate in educational leadership.
GLC believes no child should be denied education because of income, and so no families pay anything out of pocket. Instead, GLC partners with Arizona Tuition Connection, a nonprofit organization that provides children with scholarships funded by tax credit donations. GLC does not use the Arizona ESA voucher program.
By the grace of God, the children have been able to receive enough scholarships to cover GLC’s expenses to stay open year after year since 2018. But to continue or even grow, they need your help.
These donations directly provide an education for these children. Thank you, Brian and Sheyda Golladay
HOW YOU CAN HELPAT ZERO COST
Arizona offers two tax-credit programs that allow you to help children with scholarships without spending anything extra; your money is just redirected toward this nonprofit instead of paying taxes, which you would need to pay anyway.
INDIVIDUAL TAX CREDITS
Any Arizona taxpayer can direct part of their state income tax dollar-for-dollar to Arizona Tuition Connection. For the tax year 2025, an individual can donate $1,535, and if married filing jointly the amount is $3,062. (These do not supersede other tax credit donations, such as public school donations; you can do both.)
You can donate at arizonatuitionconnection.com.
Please recommend Golladay Learning Center on the donation form as a school that you are trying to help.
BUSINESS / CORPORATE TAX CREDITS
Businesses can also make tax credit donations and are not limited to any amount, except for the total Arizona amount of $135 million. This supports low-income and special-needs students and results in a full corporate tax credit.
Steps for businesses to redirect their AZ tax dollars directly toward helping our students:
- Contact Tim Kuhn and his team at Arizona Tuition Connection, Tim@arizonatuitionconnection.com.
- Fill out the brief pledge form they provide you and recommend Golladay Learning Center school that you are trying to help. Arizona Tuition Connection will be happy to answer your questions and guide you through the entire process, whether for individual or business donations.