FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 8, 2023

Contact: Tyler Kowch, 602-321-7290

tyler@sosarizona.org

Proposed Budget Fails Arizona Public Schools

In January, Gov. Hobbs announced her commitment to prioritize public education by rolling back universal ESA voucher expansion. The budget introduced is a complete abdication of this commitment to 1.1 million Arizona students  — failing to cap the growth of a program that threatens the future of public education in our state. Save Our Schools Arizona is calling upon all lawmakers who support public schools to reject this budget and vote against the feed bill and the K-12 bill. 

The universally expanded ESA voucher program threatens to bankrupt Arizona in order to subsidize private education options of 54,566 students, the majority of which have never even attended a public school. Last week, the ESA voucher program officially surpassed the size of Mesa Unified, the largest school district in the state, without any of the financial oversight, transparency or academic accountability required of public school districts. 

This program as a whole will cost Arizona taxpayers over $550 million this year alone. $300 million of this cost is unbudgeted and will require a supplemental appropriation in this budget. At its current rate, the total cost of this unaccountable government subsidy program will surpass $1 billion per year in 2024, with no plan to fund the massive rising cost, at a time when surpluses are projected to dry up. There are no other programs in this state that have unfettered, unregulated growth at taxpayer expense. 

Meanwhile, Arizona’s K-12 public schools lack the basic, sustainable resources to raise educator pay and fund desperately needed staff positions. The money being diverted from the general fund for universal ESA vouchers this year alone could fund $10,000 raises for 35,000 Arizona educators. 

Arizona is facing a point of no return. If its growth is not significantly capped this year, the universal ESA voucher program will spiral entirely out of control, siphoning desperately needed funds from local public schools and dismantling public education in our great state. 

As SOSAZ Director Beth Lewis states, “Gov. Hobbs must honor her promise to public schools by negotiating a growth cap this year on the universal ESA voucher program as a basic measure of fiscal stewardship. Any budget that fails to rein in this off-the-rails program is unacceptable. Arizona’s 1.1 million public school students are counting on Gov. Hobbs to honor her commitment to roll back the universal voucher program and prioritize our public schools.”