Arizona is already one of the country’s most pro-school choice states, and if the Arizona Legislature passes Senator Paul Boyer’s SB1657, education experts believe that ranking will only improve. On Wednesday, the Arizona Senate took the first step, passing SB 1657, which may well be the largest expansion of school choice in the history of Arizona.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Paul Boyer, passed on a 16-12-2 party line vote, with all 16 Senate Republicans voting for the choice measure, and 12 of the 14 Senate Democrats voting against it. The remaining 2 Democrats were absent from the vote.
The bill will expand Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs), eligibility, and permissible expenditures, and entitles a child with an ESA to Classroom Site Fund (CSF) monies. A student with an ESA account may use those funds for tuition or fees, textbooks, curricula and supplementary materials, and some other predefined goods and services.
The bill also establishes the Student Empowerment Fund (Empowerment Fund) to fund the ESAs of specified qualified students.
“These kids deserve to catch this break after the last few years.” said one choice advocate, “While we hear from parents who love their kids’ school and don’t understand the need for these programs, the fact is these programs are a lifeline for parents whose kids aren’t getting the education they need where they are, or kids dealing with some very difficult challenges in life.”
Student’s who qualify for ESA accounts include children with a disability, students attending a D or F (failing) school or school district, children of parents in the U.S. Armed Forces who are on active duty or were killed in the line of duty, children who are or were a ward of the court with a permanent guardian or prospective permanent guardian, residents of an Indian reservation in Arizona, children of parents who are legally blind, deaf or hard of hearing, and others.
“My Senator is a Democrat and campaigns on education all the time,” said one irate parent, adding “and she just voted no on helping disabled kids get a better education!”
The vote was 16 to 12 strictly along party lines.
This would be the biggest expansion of school choice in Arizona history.
Senate Bill 1657: “Student Empowerment Fund”
Primary Sponsor: @PaulDBoyer (R)
The next stop is the Arizona House.https://t.co/LfuTNPclTc pic.twitter.com/qObYT74KBb
— Corey A. DeAngelis (@DeAngelisCorey) February 16, 2022