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$150 million for housing, half a billion for education in budget proposal
A new budget proposal emerged today that delivers a child tax rebate, major spending on housing and education, and a reshuffling of money destined for water projects.
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.
Arizona can still be the leader in school choice
Now is the time for Arizona, my home state, to continue its role as the leader in the movement to provide increased educational opportunities for its students.
Educators say ‘critical race theory’ is dog whistle
Educators are frustrated over the debate about “critical race theory” in conversations around public education in Arizona.
DOE’s proposed ESA handbook edits draw parents’ anger
The Arizona Department of Education’s proposed edits to the Empowerment Scholarship Account handbook were met with backlash and claims of improper outside influence in a state board of education meeting today.
ESA advocate heads program, draws parents’ ire
Before working as director of the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program, Christine Accurso was an ESA mom herself and a ferocious supporter of universal expansion, but now the ESA parent groups that Accurso sprang from have turned their backs on one of their own.
Anti-ESA governor is living endorsement of school choice
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is, in spite of herself, perhaps the greatest living billboard for education savings accounts (ESAs) in the nation.
ESA parents complain about mid-year changes
Two months in, Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) parents say the program is at risk of imploding.
When it comes to school regulation, less is more
Let’s identify needless regulations and cut the red tape holding back our district and charter schools. Let’s free the education innovators, truly put parents in charge of their children’s education, ensure more of every dollar gets spent in the classroom instead of the front office and build the best possible education system for Arizona!
Pandemic, culture wars revive ‘school choice’ policy push
With memories fresh from pandemic-era school closures and curriculum battles — particularly over how matters of gender and race are taught — legions of parents are trekking to the marble floors of their state Capitols to fight to create education savings accounts, also known as ESAs. Such accounts exist in Arizona and West Virginia, though Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs argues the dollars would be b[...]
Parents protest Hobbs’ proposed repeal of universal ESA
A brigade of strollers and children toting magic marker-adorned posters descended upon the Capitol to protest Gov. Katie Hobbs’ proposed repeal of the universal Empowerment Scholarship Account program. Hobbs announced her proposed budget with public education funding hinging on savings from repealing universal ESAs.
Hobbs calls for more money for public schools, oversight for charters in first State of the State
Gov. Katie Hobbs is putting education at the top of her agenda for 2023. In her State of the State address on Monday afternoon, Democrat Hobbs said she wants to lift a spending cap that could kneecap public schools, increase funding for public education – specifically teacher pay – and improve oversight of non-district schools that receive public money.
