Sign In
Free Newsletter
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.
Vouchers could cost $1 billion a year
The universal voucher program in Arizona is expected to bankrupt the state, according to public school advocates.
25K apply in 1st wave of universal vouchers
Applications for the first quarter universal empowerment scholarship accounts close on October 15. With them comes the permanency of the first universal voucher program in the country.
Here’s what you should know about ESAs
Arizona is again grappling with the issue of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts and whether voters should decide for themselves if taxpayer money can fund private and home schools for all K-12 students.
Universal school voucher expansion threatens funding
The expansion of school vouchers means that potentially hundreds of millions of public funds will be put into the hands of private individuals to use with little fiscal or academic accountability.
Gov. Doug Ducey shares accomplishments of session
Gov. Doug Ducey said the Educational Savings Accounts that were approved last session were among the legislation he is most proud of from the last session.
Legislature passes biggest ESA expansion in country
The Arizona state Legislature pushed out a bill that greatly expands empowerment scholarship accounts that students can use to go into private schools in a historic move on Friday night that makes this the biggest “voucher” expansion in the country.
Senate passes voucher expansion bill
Republican senators gave the go-ahead Monday for what could be a huge expansion in the use of tax dollars to send children to private and parochial schools.
Voucher bill attempts to privatize education
The current, aggressive push to expand Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) does nothing to address the systemic education challenges we face in Arizona.
Empowerment scholarships alternative in ‘covirtual’ reality
With students facing the reality of what the new normal may look like in their next classroom setting, ESA can offer educational security for those who qualify. Since 2011, ESA has made exceptional growth with more than 7,500 students and counting. For parents who want to ensure their children can receive the kind of individualized education and care that they need for the years to come, ESA is an[...]
