The Arizona Department of Education and a school choice advocacy group place blame on each other for the dismal acceptance rate among Indian children who apply for school vouchers.

If voters approve the voucher expansion law in November, many believe those changes would be locked in under the Voter Protection Act.

Last week, the Capitol was abuzz with everything from talk of criminal justice reform to how to fund Arizona's public education system - and that's just the beginning.

A Republican lawmaker wants Democratic Rep. Isela Blanc investigated by the House Ethics Committee, citing allegations that petition sheets she gathered to block an expansion of school vouchers were doctored.

School-choice groups filed a second lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court on August 24 in an attempt to block an opposing referendum campaign by Save Our Schools Arizona.

Senate Minority Leader Katie Hobbs, D-Phoenix, led Democrats in her chamber through yet another session where the minority party tried and failed to substantively change the budget. But the Phoenix Democrat found a few reasons to be pleased with the session, while mostly remaining frustrated by Republican legislative victories.

In his first year as speaker of the House, J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, managed to get all 35 of his chamber’s Republicans to agree to support the state budget, though two from his caucus still balked at Gov. Doug Ducey’s university bonding proposal.

A poll commissioned by school-choice group American Federation for Children suggested a tough road ahead for a group working on a ballot measure to repeal an expansion of vouchers.

The architect of the universal voucher plan approved Thursday is already looking to undermine the key provision of the compromise that secured the votes for the program’s expansion.

Can Arizona compete? Can we improve educational opportunities for all of children? Can we expand ESAs? ¡Sí, se puede!