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Fortify AZ bows out: School voucher ballot battlefield narrows to one
Key Points: Fortify AZ drops its own voucher plan from the November ballot Arizona Education Association’s stricter limits plan remains on the ballot Arizona lawmakers approved a “poison pill” ballot […]
House GOP offer new school voucher limits as a ballot blocker
Key Points: House Republicans offer deal with education advocates Deal with Arizona Education Association includes list of forbidden purchases GOP lawmakers promise to scrap a separate ballot measure restricting teacher […]
$75 buys you 300 words — and an audience of 4 million Arizona voters
Key Points: Arizona voters can share opinions on ballot measures for $75 Arguments must be submitted by June 24 to be included in the widely-spread ballot pamphlet The Secretary of […]
Horne vs. Yee: Republican opponents square off over state education, ESA fraud
Key Points: GOP foes in July 21 primary differ over handling of improper purchases using voucher funds Yee changed her stated position on law covering school chief’s role As state […]
Gov. Katie Hobbs: Affordability, education and water in 2026
Gov. Katie Hobbs is entering her fourth and final legislative session of her first term — and an election year that could decide whether she gets another term — with […]
Phoenix Union High School District sees enrollment decline during flurry of school closures
Key Points: Phoenix Union High School District plans staff reduction given a 10% dip in enrollment since 2022 Tucson Unified School District and Kyrene School District also face funding and […]
ESA enrollment hits 75,000, short of some projections
After a year of roving projections, final enrollment and funding for the Empowerment Scholarship Account program in the last fiscal year fell far short of earlier predictions by the Department of Education and the governor’s office, but remained close to the mark on projections by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.
Mayes wants answers on school voucher rules, procedures
The Arizona Attorney general is investigating Arizona Department of Education procedures allowing school voucher funds for “supplementary materials” untethered to any curriculum or documentation justifying the purchase as an educational expense.
ESA program gets a few tweaks, but no overhaul
Change to the Empowerment Scholarship Account program remained a game of inches this session.
New voucher rulebook delayed a year for parent input
Following backlash from parents in the Empowerment Scholarship Account program and Republican lawmakers, the State Board of Education adopted last year’s program handbook in lieu of approving a new redlined draft from the Arizona Department of Education today.
Open enrollment closed to students with disabilities
Students with disabilities who try to enroll in a school outside their district through the state’s open enrollment program are often met with denials based on a lack of capacity in special education programs.
Mayes blames lawmakers for making voucher program ‘easy to target for fraud’
Three former Empowerment Scholarship Account employees are accused of defrauding the program of more than $600,000 by using falsified birth certificates and disability diagnoses to enroll five adults, seven children and five “ghost children.”
