With the largest school voucher program in America, Arizona’s new legislation is opening up education funding for all students. Initially allocated by tax dollars to public schools, these funds can now be spent at private institutions ensuring kids and families across Arizona access to education that best fits their needs. The change this brings will alter how we think about educational opportunities especially with the technology available today.
The signing of Arizona’s universal school voucher expansion by Gov. Doug Ducey has caused a stir in the education community. Many public education advocates are preparing for another petition drive to block the expansion of vouchers and universal access to the Empowerment Scholarship Account program.
“With this legislation, Arizona cements itself as the top state for school choice and as the first state in the nation to offer all families the option to choose the school setting that works best for them,” said Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday.
With the new tax credit, Arizona families who participate would receive more than $6,500 per year for private school and other educational services that help meet their students’ needs outside of traditional public schools.
“In Arizona, we fund students, not systems, because we know one size does not fit all students,” said House Majority Leader Ben Toma.
Thanks to recent changes in legislation, students in Arizona have more options than ever when it comes to education. This means that families across the state have access to the education that best fits their needs. At Ideal School, we are an online, bilingual and interactive elementary school focused on the integral development of the student.
However, not all are celebrating this development. Public education advocates and democratic politicians were not happy about this new law and how it will affect the education system in Arizona.
“The Republican universal voucher system is designed to kill public education,” tweeted former Arizona House Rep. Diego Rodriguez.
The Save Our Schools Arizona director is pressing lawmakers to prioritize public schools in response. “Arizona voters will be eager to reject HB 2853 (Universal ESA Voucher Expansion) once and for all on the November 2024 ballot, sending a clear message to national privatizers that Arizona voters overwhelmingly support public schools and want our lawmakers to prioritize them,” said Beth Lewis.
The state of Arizona has long been a leader when it comes to school choice, and that leadership is paying off in the form of notable academic progress. From 2008-2018 there were vast improvements across all grades as measured by The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University; now with this legislation, they will be able to unlock even more potential for K-12 students.
Governor Ducey has left his mark on education in Arizona. Whether that mark leaves the education system on a great path is still up for discussion between school choice enthusiasts and public education groups.
With the new education funding available in Arizona, we believe that more children will have the opportunity to learn from us. We are an accredited school with a proven track record of success, and we are committed to providing every child with the best possible education.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your family reach its full potential.
