My strongest opinion about AZ universal ESA reform is that it should be enacted as quickly and simply as possible.
Three possible paths for immediate AZ ESA reform:
(1/5)
Three possible paths for immediate AZ ESA reform:
(1/5)
Charlie Martin
@MartinCharlieAZ
Arizona School Finance - Public Finance and Budgeting - Financial Analysis - Personal opinions
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Universal ESA supporters will probably make many unfounded claims about public support for ESAs/vouchers, just as they spread misinformation about the cost of the program.
The truth is that Arizonans overwhelmingly support reforming the universal ESA program.
The truth is that Arizonans overwhelmingly support reforming the universal ESA program.
A recent Education Forward Arizona @EdForwardAZ poll found that 69% of likely voters support an income cap for ESAs and 80% support documenting ESA student achievement.
Arizona voters overwhelmingly support reforming the ESA program.
everythingtogain.org/research-resou…View quoted post on X
Arizona needs to prioritize true school choice - district open enrollment and charter schools.
All publicly-funded options should serve students without charging additional tuition and should provide the same financial and academic performance data to parents and taxpayers.
All publicly-funded options should serve students without charging additional tuition and should provide the same financial and academic performance data to parents and taxpayers.
More than 20 times as many Arizona students participate in school choice through open enrollment in a neighboring school district or charter (over 314,377) than have switched to an Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) from public school under universal eligibility (15,407).View quoted post on X
Arizona legislators never had an open and honest discussion about the cost of the universal ESA program.
Supporters pushed misinformation that universal ESAs would generate savings, but the program actually drains over $300M taxpayer funds per year.
Supporters pushed misinformation that universal ESAs would generate savings, but the program actually drains over $300M taxpayer funds per year.
The Arizona JLBC analysis of the universal ESA program badly underestimated how quickly home and private school students would sign up for ESAs. If the JLBC had not made this significant error, Legislators would have seen a $300M+ cost before voting on the universal ESA bill.View quoted post on X
I first came across James Talarico while following the push for ESAs in Texas. He communicated why universal ESAs are not actually school choice better than any other elected official that I have seen.
It will be great to see both TX and AZ reform wasteful ESA/voucher programs.
It will be great to see both TX and AZ reform wasteful ESA/voucher programs.
This Texas state representative @jamestalarico did a great job explaining why ESAs/vouchers are not true school choice this spring.View quoted post on X