Arizona’s House Democrats put out a press release condemning HB 2291, which would expand voucher program, Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, aka Education Savings Accounts, aka (according to me) Vouchers on Steroids.

NOTE: Since this press release came out, Republicans began work on a rewrite of the legislation to include even more students in the voucher program.

House Democrats committed to keeping money in
Arizona public schools

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX — Arizona House Democrats are working to stop tax dollars from being siphoned out of the public school system.

“Extremists at the Capitol are pushing legislation that could pull millions of dollars out of our public schools through the use of private school vouchers,” Rep. Eric Meyer, D-Paradise Valley (District 28), said. “One of the most recent examples of this is HB 2291, a bill that would increase the number of students who can use state dollars to attend private schools, which are not subject to state regulations.”

HB 2291 would change the requirements to qualify for the Empowerment Scholarship Account Program, which offers private school vouchers, to include all students and who are eligible to receive free or reduced lunches and the siblings of current voucher recipients. This could increase the program by more than 400,000 students.

“This change, combined with the other voucher program expansions over the years, would make about 60 percent of public school students eligible for these vouchers,” Meyer said. “Students using the vouchers receive an average of $5,400 a year. That money comes directly out of the budgets of our public schools.”

“The state continues to use tax dollars and tax credits to make private school more affordable for the approximately 5 percent of the Arizona student population that makes the choice to attend those schools, while causing significant damage to the education of the 95 percent of students who are choosing to attend public schools,” Calles said.

Meyer added that supporting public education should be a priority of anyone at the Legislature who is interested in investing in the economic security of the state.

“Legislation that undermines the public school system in our state is incredibly detrimental to our economic future,” Meyer said. “These vouchers use tax dollars to subsidize schools that are not subject to state testing standards. We need our kids in schools that can be held accountable for preparing them for the workforce. By starving public schools of resources, we are affecting the very foundation of our economy.”

To see a copy of the bill, go to: http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=2291&Session_Id=112&image.x=0&image.y=0.

This article appears in Feb 27 – Mar 5, 2014.

6 replies on “House Democrats Speak Out Against Expansion Of “Empowerment Scholarship Account” Vouchers”

  1. My mother owned a restaurant when I was a kid. When a new restaurant opened up we would lose business and my mom would moan about how unfair it was. We kept doing things like we always had and didn’t innovate or refresh our menu. Eventually she sold the restaurant. All those new restaurants that we complained about became our favorites. No one likes competition, but it makes you better if you compete, if you don’t don’t get better you’ll be out of business.

  2. Schools shouldn’t have to compete against each other, they should be collaborating!! Competition amongst schools translates into competition amongst parents and an attitude of only having concern for your own kid, not the common good. Schools are NOT businesses. Businesses can be selective about their raw product. Public schools must take all, they cannot reject those students who might have more challenges. We don’t talk about police or fire departments being businesses…schools are exactly the same – a public good!!!!!

  4. Public Schools are outdated period!!!!
    The DMV and TUSD have very much in common.. Both gov. operated , both “think” and operate as if you need them they dont need you… Parents and TEACHERS,, the caring ones,, have little say in what their kids , students are being taught ever since the Teachers union took over TUSD in 1973-1974.. TUSD is to top heavy and has been really good at wasting public money for over FORTY YEARS!!! TUSD has been transformened into a massive union opreated day care and social engineering non profit ORG.. Citizens DO HAVE the right to send their kids to whatever school they want with “their” property tax money that TUSD thinks belongs to it..
    The sooner the MASSIVE TUSD nightmare would be broken up the better!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. Another ill conceived attempt by the extremists to fund thier fundamentalist agenda.

    Instead of fixing the problembs, they want to create a new generation of fundamentalist idiots who will not be able to compete in the open job market, but who will blindly elected anyone who wraps themselves in the bible.

    I had a Catholic education (Jesuit). It was funded by the Church.. no government money, no government vouchers. I learned how to learn, and how to develop a rational thought process.

    From what I’ve seen of “Charter” schools, they teach God first, and then education to support their vision of God.

    This should not be funded by our Tax Dollars.

    How about fixing the educatioin system.. keep religion out of it.

    And elect legislators who “render unto Caeser what is Caeser’s, and unto God what is God’s.” How’s that for a Bible quote?

    If you want a Theocracy, move to Iran or Saudi Arabia, and get the hell out of Arizona.

  6. Public schools create a continued flow of welfare recipients!
    Teaching life skills, responsibility and citizenship (remember Civics class), goes a long way in maintaining a productive society!

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