Arts Academy in the Woods is chartered by the Macomb Intermediate School District's Board of Education, which oversees its operations, including finances and curriculum.

The school is tuition-free and open to all Michigan students, grades 6-12, with an interest in the arts.

Any secondary school student who qualifies as a resident of the State of Michigan is eligible to attend.

AAW allows students to major in the arts, while also attending "regular" high school classes.

The arts program is combined with a full academic curriculum including math, science, English, and languages.