Well, the proof is out. The financial disaster that the ill-advised and unaccountable Empowerment Scholarship Account (E.S.A.) expansion that public school educator advocates, sane policy experts, and informed media outlets predicted would drain state coffers and benefit (by a great margin) rich families has become a reality. In reporting from Mary Jo Pitzel at AZ Central, … Read more
Remember when Republicans in Doug Ducey’s office and the Arizona Legislature wanted to take away control and oversight of the Empowerment Scholarship Program (E.S.A,) from Superintendent Kathy Hoffman because she actually believed in reporting who was applying and where the monies were being spent? Well, those fears among the pro-plutocratic and Christian-Nationalist wing of the … Read more
Apparently, the transition to governing periods, as well as who one associates with, can be telling to people who want to gauge what kind of leader a successful nominee will be. Take two examples in Arizona this week: Governor-Elect Katie Hobbs and apparent Superintendent of Public Instruction-Elect Tom Horne (there may be a recount here … Read more
School test scores during 2021/22, despite the transition of reopening schools following the COVID 19 shutdown and the subsequent pandemic surges at schools throughout Arizona, rose overall compared to the results of the 2020/21 term when the Coronavirus forced public districts to close their learning institutions. In a release from the Arizona Department of Education, … Read more
For the second time in five years, public school advocates led by Save Our Schools Arizona are working non-stop to prevent an expansive school voucher measure from becoming law. In 2018, Arizona voters, by a close to two to one margin, defeated the extreme Republican attempt to expand access to Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA: school … Read more