3 women indicted in alleged scheme to defraud state’s voucher, Medicaid programs
A state grand jury indicted three women last year for allegedly funneling more than $100,000 from the Empowerment Scholarship Account program and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System into private school and caretaking companies.
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.
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.
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.
ESA program director resigns while ADE, treasurer’s office mull which firms to hire
The director of the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program resigned yesterday.
4 firms submit bids to run ESA program
Four financial management companies put in proposals to run the state’s burgeoning Empowerment Scholarship Account program, the state treasury announced May 22.
State deactivates 910 ESA tutors, vendors
More than 900 Empowerment Scholarship Account tutors and teaching services were pulled from ClassWallet over the last weekend after the Arizona Department of Education deactivated accounts of vendors who had not adhered to accreditation requirements implemented by the new administration in February.
Mom questions voucher program accessibility
Because both state and federal law do not specifically cite websites, government contractors can claim ADA compliance while access to their websites remains inequitable.
Parents hit board with ESA complaints – again
The State Board of Education was once again hit by a wave of written and verbal feedback about the Empowerment Scholarship Account handbook but parents say their input is still failing to materialize in the newest draft of the handbook.
Audit calls for more staff for voucher program
An audit into the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program management shows that the Arizona Department of Education needs to hire 21 additional full-time employees in order to run it smoothly.