ESA parents complain about mid-year changes
Two months in, Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) parents say the program is at risk of imploding.
Bill to expand ESA reporting advances, barely
A bill that would expand reporting requirements for the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program narrowly passed the Senate Education Committee on Feb. 15.
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!
Nation watches as Arizona’s universal ESA voucher fiasco fails
Universal ESA vouchers are already a dismal failure defunding our local public schools, threatening to bankrupt our state and raising red flags about taxpayer-funded discrimination. And the nation is watching as special interests rush to force through vouchers in other states before the cautionary tale of Arizona comes fully to light.
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 seeks ESA repeal in budget proposal, GOP offers ‘continuation’ with no new spending
Arizona’s Democratic governor and Republican-controlled legislature are on a collision course after they laid out diametrically opposed plans for the state budget this week.
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.
Education funding, election issues expected to be among most contentious issues in session
The 2023 legislative session is being brought to you by the letter E. As in education funding and election issues. These promise to be among the most contentious issues as lawmakers return to the Capitol on Monday.
Not quite universal, but families flocked to universal voucher program
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.
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.