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 better spent bolstering chronically underfunded public schools.

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.  

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. 

The universal voucher program in Arizona is expected to bankrupt the state, according to public school advocates.  

Arizona parents have flocked to apply for the state’s new universal Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, which let any family apply for state funds to pay for their child’s schooling, regardless of need.

Lame duck Gov. Doug Ducey said Monday he won't call a special legislative session to deal with problems with school funding before his term ends this month until he gets a promise that lawmakers will deal with some issues on his own agenda.

State education officials are giving parents who want to seek immediate voucher payments an extra 15 days to apply.

Supporters of a massive expansion of Arizona's private school voucher system said Monday that public school advocates have failed to file enough valid signatures to temporarily block the law ahead of a proposed 2024 ballot referendum.

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.  

Gov. Doug Ducey penned his signature Thursday to creating the most comprehensive system of private and parochial school vouchers in the nation, paving the way for a petition drive to have voters kill it -- again.