Stand Arizona is committed to empowering parents to support their children’s education journey. While we support school choice options such as high-quality public charter schools, we oppose universal vouchers for private schools which undermine public education, lack accountability, and exacerbate already wide educational and social inequities.
We are particularly concerned about the void of academic and financial accountability created with the expansion of Education Savings Account vouchers in HB 2853. It sends millions of dollars to unaccountable individuals and corporations with no expectation or requirement to actually educate students or meet their needs under the law. It’s a meager and toothless oversight that will leave parents with little to no recourse.
Arizona has a proud history of school choice, but this bill goes far beyond the will of the voters. As constructed, it undermines equity and further exacerbates existing gaps in educational opportunity.
The financial, regulatory and marketplace advantages and privileges gifted to private schools through HB 2853 leap outside the bounds of education reform and fair play. This is nothing more than special interest legislation, written not to support schools and better educate students, but to line pockets and enrich investors. Arizona families deserve better.
