Join SOSAZ for a Statewide Volunteer Huddle! |
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Monday, February 9th @ 6pm |
We'll be hosting a Statewide Volunteer Huddle on Monday, Feb. 9th at 6pm -- click the button below to register! This will be a great opportunity for you to learn all about what the initiative intends to accomplish and what it doesn't do, plus learn about the timeline and how you can plug in. SEE YOU THERE!
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🚨 BREAKING: On Friday, Arizona families and educators represented by SOSAZ and AEA filed a NEW 2026 ballot initiative to rein in our state’s out-of-control, $1 BILLION dollar voucher program. We’re fighting for: ✅Stronger safety standards to protect kids ✅Real accountability to stop waste, fraud & abuse
✅Stronger academic standards to ensure kids are learning ✅Recovering critical funding for public schools |
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The state now has 30 days to review what we submitted. Since lawmakers have failed to deliver any real reforms for 3 years, we’re ready to take this directly to voters 💪 |
🗞️ Read all about it:
Today, a coalition of Arizona families and educators represented by Save Our Schools Arizona and the Arizona Education Association filed language with the Secretary of State for a ballot measure to bring accountability and transparency to Arizona’s $1 billion universal ESA voucher program, while improving safety standards, preserving flexibility for students with disabilities, and recovering critically needed funds for Arizona’s local public schools.
The legislature could pass these desperately needed reforms tomorrow to keep kids safe, ensure they’re learning, and improve the financial accountability of our taxpayer dollars. However, the legislature has obstinately refused to add any guardrails to the program for three years, leading to massive fraud, waste, and unsafe situations for kids. We the people are prepared to take matters into our own hands to deliver the real change our schools, students, and state need, and all options are on the table.
This initiative includes: |
✅ New Safety Measures to Protect Kids: |
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Requires all voucher-funded schools to comply with basic safety standards, like background checks and site safety regulations
- Requires that voucher-funded schools investigate allegations of misconduct
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✅ Basic Standards to Prevent Waste, Fraud, and Abuse: |
- Bans the use of ESA voucher funds for non-educational and luxury items
- Recoups millions in unused funds for public schools
- Transparency for voucher funds
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✅ Re-Focusing the Voucher Program on Families with the Highest Need: |
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Ends subsidies for the wealthy: Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, requires the annual family income for universal ESA voucher students to be at or below $150,000, adjusted annually for inflation. (Does not apply to students with disabilities)
- ABC15’s data analysis shows only 5% of kids under 18 live in zip codes with a household income of $130,000 or higher.
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✅ Raising the Bar for Academic Quality to Support Student Success: |
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Requires all voucher-funded schools to follow academic accountability standards. To ensure students are learning, private schools would be required to have their students take similar assessments as public school students or be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization. (Does not apply to students with disabilities or students who are home educated)
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The ballot language filed today is subject to a 30-day Legislative Council review period and may be revised based on that review. Publicly available polling shows that nearly three-in-four Arizona voters approve of core accountability measures proposed in the ballot language, with support holding strong across political ideology and geography. |
Support our critical efforts to protect public education and rein in Arizona’s $1 billion, off-the-rails voucher program by donating to fuel our grassroots organizing and community engagement across the state! |
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Contact Us
[email protected] Save Our Schools Arizona
PO Box 28370
Tempe, AZ 85285
United States Paid for by Save Our Schools Arizona. Not authorized by any candidate. |
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