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Arizona has blazed the trail with educational choice from open enrollment, to charter schools, and now universal Education Savings Accounts available to every K-12 student. There are not one, but two, editorials in the Wall Street Journal about how Arizona is leading other states. Both are worth your time to read.Â
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Can the GOP Become the Parents’ Party?
By passing a historic school-choice bill, Arizona Republicans say yes.
By Corey DeAngelis
Republicans across the country are calling themselves the Parents’ Party. Republicans in Arizona just proved they’re worthy of the name.
During his State of the State address in January, Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey told the Legislature: “This session, let’s expand school choice any way we can. . . . Send me the bills, and I’ll sign them.” Republican lawmakers were listening. Last week, on two party-line votes, the Arizona House and Senate passed a monumental school-choice bill, which will soon be delivered to the governor’s desk.
The state’s efforts come after what many have called the year of school choice. After months of power-hungry teachers’ unions fighting for school closings and political indoctrination in the classroom in 2021, 18 states chose to enact or expand programs to fund students instead of systems. Arizona just one-upped all of them.
Most of the nation’s existing school-choice initiatives are limited to certain students based on eligibility categories such as income or special needs. Arizona’s expanded program eliminates such distinctions by allowing all families to take most of the state portion of their children’s taxpayer-funded education dollars to the providers of their choosing. The funding—about $7,000 a student—will follow the child to an “education savings account” directed by his parents or guardians. The funds may be spent on any approved education expenditures, such as private-school tuition and fees, tutoring, instructional materials and curriculum...
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School Choice Blooms in the Desert
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A bill in Arizona opens scholarship accounts to all students statewide.
By Editorial BoardÂ
The school choice movement continues to gain support, and the latest breakthrough is legislation in Arizona that will expand the availability of education savings accounts for any K-12 student in the state who wants one.
Arizona was the first state to create an education savings account (ESA) program in 2011. But only some students can apply—such as those with disabilities, in low-performing schools, or who reside on an Indian reservation.
The new bill allows any of the state’s more than a million K-12 students to be eligible for more than $6,000 for education expenses, including private school tuition and curricular materials. Most other state programs cap the number of students, set income eligibility requirements, or require students to be enrolled in public schools to apply. Arizona’s program may be the nation’s broadest.
The bill also expands the use of ESA funds for transportation and such equipment as computers or other education technology. The scholarship money is funded by the state and equal to 90% of what the state would provide for charter-school students. It will follow students to the schools of their choice—private, charter, or traditional union-dominated district schools.
“Arizona has long been a pioneer in education choice. Now, with this historic expansion of ESAs, we’ll continue to charter the path for others to follow suit,” tweeted Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who has promoted school choice during his two terms and is expected to sign the legislation...
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