No. Federal. Vouchers.

📉 Governor Hobbs unveils her 2026 K-12 budget. On Friday, Governor Hobbs released her proposed state budget for 2026, which seeks to rein in Arizona’s out-of-control universal ESA vouchers for the wealthy in order to increase funding for 1 million students across Arizona’s public schools. Read our statement of support here. 

This year more than ever, our state desperately needs reforms to our out-of-control, scandal-plagued universal voucher program.

Arizona’s revenue has stagnated due to irresponsible policies like former Gov. Ducey’s “flat tax” kickbacks for the rich and universal vouchers that have left us without the funding to make real investments in K-12 schools. Arizona now ranks 48th in the nation for per-pupil funding; in other words, kids are paying the price. 

While our students miss out on the fully resourced public education they deserve, over $1 billion every year is being funneled to private school vouchers with zero accountability or evidence of academic success. And instead of course-correcting, state Republicans are irresponsibly doubling down on tax cuts for the rich and trying to force our state to opt into Trump’s federal voucher program, which will only deepen the crisis. 

This session, we once again call on the legislature to reform vouchers and work to invest in our public schools — and Arizona voters overwhelmingly AGREE across political parties and geographies! 

👏 Federal Voucher Opt-In Vetoed – For Now: In its very first week back in session, the Arizona Legislature fast-tracked the passage of two bills (SB1106 and HB2153) that would have aligned Arizona’s state taxes with Trump’s tax cuts for the rich. Besides costing Arizona hundreds of millions of dollars every year in tax giveaways for the wealthy and corporations, Arizona’s Republican lawmakers also hid the adoption of the Trump administration's federal voucher scam on the last page of the bill.

Thankfully, Governor Hobbs announced Friday that she vetoed the bills as expected – but we know this is only the first attempt by Arizona Republicans to force our state to opt-in to a federal voucher scheme we know almost nothing about. We also know that Republican lawmakers won’t hesitate to play dirty political games like holding public school funding hostage for vouchers. 

📣 Oppose Federal Vouchers: Arizona is already the nation’s voucher cautionary tale, irresponsibly diverting $1 billion every year to ESA vouchers. The ESA voucher program is funneling money our state cannot afford to lose to predominantly wealthier students already enrolled in private schools, giving them a no-strings-attached entitlement for unaccountable schools with no financial transparency.

Now, the Republicans in the legislature are attempting to position Arizona as one of the first states in the nation to irresponsibly sign up for Trump’s federal voucher scam that is designed as a tax giveaway for the rich and — like Arizona’s voucher scheme — is set up to benefit wealthier students who are already in private schools. The federal voucher program has no cap, meaning it could funnel tens of billions, if not hundreds of billions, of dollars to unaccountable private schools that already receive state tax dollars via state vouchers! Like Arizona’s ESA vouchers, the federal voucher program is expected to have zero accountability to taxpayers, zero academic standards, and zero requirements for student safety. 

🤔 Mystery Voucher Guidelines: The US Treasury has not passed regulatory guidelines for the program, which means Arizona Republican lawmakers have no idea what they are even pushing. It is expected that guidelines will prevent states from being able to regulate federally funded voucher schools. This would mean, for example, states couldn’t require voucher-funded schools to serve all students, including students with disabilities, English language learners, and LGBTQ+ students. 

💸 Another money grab to benefit the rich: The federal voucher would be “stacked” on top of state ESA and STO vouchers, meaning well-off families could access tens of thousands of dollars more in private school tuition each year by cobbling together state and federal vouchers. This means a parent receiving $7,000-40,000 per child in ESA or STO voucher funds could potentially double their voucher funding — and families with broad access to more affluent friends, family, and neighbors will be able to solicit more for their children than less privileged families. This will greatly exacerbate the two-tiered, unequal system that vouchers are already creating between public and private education.

Forcing Trump’s federal vouchers into our state would be wildly unpopular and incredibly irresponsible. We urge our state leaders to prioritize public education and prevent this federal voucher scheme from wreaking havoc on our state.

📨 Use our one-click email tool to thank Gov. Hobbs for vetoing Senate Bill 1106/House Bill 2153 – and urge her to reject any federal voucher scam!

RTS on Bills in Committee

🛑 Use Request to Speak on the following bills:

SB1013, sponsored by Janae Shamp (R-29), is a copy of a bill vetoed last year that would ban public schools from implementing hiring policies based on factors other than so-called "merit" as part of the MAGA attack on diversity, equity and inclusion. The bill would allow individuals to sue, which would lead to endless frivolous claims of “reverse racism.” Scheduled for Senate Regulatory Affairs & Government Efficiency Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.

SCR1001, sponsored by Shawnna Bolick (R-2), and HCR2001, sponsored by Alexander Kolodin (R-3), would axe the early voting system which Arizona pioneered, ban the running of all-mail elections, and require all voters — even those voting mail-in ballots — to present a "government-issued ID" (no one is sure how that would work). This directly harms school districts, who often run their bond and override elections by mail only. Scheduled for Senate Judiciary & Elections Committee and House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee, both on Wednesday afternoon. OPPOSE.

HB2008, sponsored by Nick Kupper (R-25), would ban public school libraries from using public funds to pay for any professional association that promotes, supports or advocates for libraries, librarians and information services. Library associations provide training and professional development, help librarians improve service and share knowledge, offer vital continuing education, and support equitable information access for all communities. They are especially important for those in underfunded libraries; Arizona’s public schools are funded at 48th in the nation. Scheduled for House Education Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.

HB2110, sponsored by Teresa Martinez (R-16), would require school boards to allow a member to offer prayer during a meeting if the member requests to do so. School boards must remain neutral on religion, and abstaining from official prayer at meetings is designed to protect religious freedom for all stakeholders. Scheduled for House Education Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.

HB2115, sponsored by Gail Griffin (R-19), would limit administrative spending at public district schools (but not charter or private schools) to 8%. Administrative costs at Arizona's district public schools are already among the lowest in the country at about 10% of overall expenses. Meanwhile, charter schools spend an average of 22% of their budgets on administration, roughly double that of district schools — and private schools have no limit at all. This is an unfair mandate; all systems should be held to the same standard. Scheduled for House Government Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.

HB2148, sponsored by Gail Griffin (R-19), is a copy of a bill vetoed last year that would ask voters to amend the Arizona Constitution to let the legislature direct federal funding however they wish if Trump dissolves the Department of Education and turns the money into block grants to states for them to spend as they please,l. This could allow the state to redistribute Title I and IDEA funds to private school vouchers with no strings attached. This year’s bill specifically includes federal monies awarded directly to school districts or community colleges. Scheduled for House Appropriations Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE. 

HB2249, sponsored by Lisa Fink (R-27), would require written parental consent and notice before any school employee “facilitates or implements social transitioning for their minor child” — which includes addressing the child by a name other than their legal name or using different pronouns. The bill would also require schools to give full parental access to a child’s complete educational record, even in cases where children feel unsafe or have been subject to abuse or trauma. This is yet another attempt by MAGA to attack LGBTQ+ youth and to sow distrust between parents and public schools. The bill sets minimum damages of $500,000 against a school and $20,000 against an official per violation, inviting strings of frivolous lawsuits and attacks on educators. Scheduled for House Education Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE. 

HB2289, sponsored by Justin Olson (R-10), is a copy of a bill vetoed last year that would change "truth in taxation" notices to require taxation examples to be based on a $400,000 home instead of a $100,000 home. This would make school bonds and overrides look 4 times more expensive if voters don't realize what's happened. Scheduled for House Ways & Means Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.

HCR2003, sponsored by Selina Bliss (R-1), would ostracize the tiny minority of trans girls in Arizona by asking voters to ban them from youth sports, as well as banning trans youth from using the school bathrooms and changing facilities that align with their gender identities. The measure is a close copy of the 2022 law the courts have already blocked, which a federal district judge has since put on hold pending the outcome of a similar case currently before the US Supreme Court. One Phoenix advocate said “there is absolutely no reason to try to do this again, other than to harm already vulnerable kids.” Bliss says her bill is “black and white," but biology is not. Scheduled for House Education Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.

Arizona’s Request to Speak (RTS) is an online tool that lets everyday citizens give Arizona state lawmakers our feedback on bills from the comfort of home – but you don’t actually have to speak! It’s an easy way to weigh in on state politics, stay informed on the bills that directly affect us, and make sure our elected officials honor the wishes of us, their constituents.

Need a Request to Speak account? Sign up here to have one created for you: Sign up here!

Need help? Attend an RTS Training! Register here!

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