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Concerned resident raises concerns about Horne’s actions as schools chief
A concerned Arizona resident shared a letter she sent to Tom Horne, who she claims has overstepped his power since assuming the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
ESA program added almost 50,000 students in the past year, state reports
The state added nearly 12,000 students to the Empowerment Scholarship Account program in the last quarter, bringing total enrollment to 61,689 at the end of June and renewing debates about the costs and benefits of the program.
Student and teacher mental health programming supported by Covid funds could be in limbo
Student and educator mental health programming supported by Covid grant relief funds may be in limbo after the Arizona Department of Education requested reports on the efficacy in remedying learning loss.
Attempts to curtail universal ESA program fail
In the first legislative session following the universal expansion of the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, attempts to curtail or enact further oversight for the program fell flat.
ADE says work being done on ESA program as ClassWallet continues as vendor
With ClassWallet in the process of continuing its contract with the state as the Empowerment Scholarship Account financial vendor, the Arizona Department of Education confirmed work on long-term changes to the program, most notably the revival of debit cards using automation and artificial intelligence.
Arizona needs 190K direct care workers in next seven years
By 2030, Arizona will need more than 190,000 new direct care workers. Those results, from a 2021 survey from the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI), concluded that, without intervention, the caregiver crisis will worsen.
Funding available for SROs, but positions hard to fill
Funding exists for 301 school resource officers through the Arizona Department of Education’s School Safety Grant, but some schools have yet to find an officer to fill the position.
ClassWallet selected to keep operating as financial vendor for ESA program
ClassWallet will continue to operate as the financial vendor for the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, the Office of the State Treasurer Arizona announced today.
AZDOHS concludes former ADE employee is behind data leak of ESA families’ information
The Arizona Department of Homeland Security concluded a former Arizona Department of Education staffer is behind a data leak of Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) families’ personal information.
With pay lagging, school districts try other enticements to get teachers
Chino Valley is trying tiny houses as an inducement for teachers. The district is not alone. From tiny houses to alternative teacher certification programs to hiring teachers from overseas, school districts around Arizona are scrambling for ways to attract teachers to a state that offers some of the lowest salaries in the nation.
ESA data breach prompts state Homeland Security investigation
A recent data breach involving the contractor in charge of Arizona’s expanded Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program is now under investigation by the Arizona Department of Homeland Security.
Grant addresses students’ mental health issues
Nikki Kontz, clinical director at Teen Lifeline, a crisis hotline and suicide prevention education provider, became a peer counselor after she lost a friend to suicide in high school. And 29 years later, as she oversees the program she started in, Kontz continues to emphasize the enduring importance of creating strong networks of support in schools, involving peers, teachers, counselors and admini[...]
