Stories tagged: "school vouchers"


Photo via Arizona Capitol Television
Many Questions Left Unanswered at First Hearing Of Arizona’s School Voucher Oversight Committee

The committee won’t meet again until November, and only has until Dec. 31 to publish its findings on whether the voucher program is running as intended as it expands.

Speaker of the House Ben Toma speaking on the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives at the Arizona State Capitol building. Toma is also the chair of the Study Committee on Empowerment Scholarship Accounts
Governance and Oversight. Photo by Gage Skidmore.
After a Rocky Start, Arizona’s School Voucher Oversight Committee Meets This Week

The committee was established in May, but vacant seats and rescheduled meetings have delayed its first hearing. It has until Dec. 31 to release a report on the state's voucher program.

Arizona school districts are starting the year wirh virtual classes, but have been ordered to have in-school teaching available by Aug. 17 for those families who want or need and that has left school administrators scrambling to come up with plans that educate while protecting student and teacher health. (Photo by SOMANEDU/Creative Commons)
Universal School Voucher Program Added Almost 50,000 Students Since Expansion

At current rates of growth, the program is expected to cost about $900 million—more than half of K-12 spending—but only serves 8% of all students in the state.

economy jobs report
Arizona Schools Get More Funding, But No Cap on Voucher Spending

The state budget provides nearly $400 million in additional education funding, but no spending limit on Arizona’s costly universal voucher program.

hobbs budget
9 Things to Know About Arizona’s New Budget for 2023-2024

The Copper Courier has compiled a list of the biggest budget items that could impact your day-to-day life.

katie hobbs
Here’s Katie Hobbs’ Plan to Improve Education and Save Taxpayers Money

The budget includes a $150 million investment in the Housing Trust Fund, which would help develop and preserve affordable housing across the state.

Westwood High School students make their way to classes, Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022 in Mesa, Ariz. Like many school districts across the country, Mesa has a teacher shortage due in part due to low morale and declining interest in the profession. Five years ago, Mesa allowed Westwood to pilot a program to make it easier for the district to fill staffing gaps, grant educators greater agency over their work and make teaching a more attractive career. The model, known as team teaching, allows teachers to combine classes and grades rotating between big group instruction, one-on-one interventions, small study groups or whatever the team agrees is a priority each day. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Not Quite Universal, but Families Flocked to Universal Voucher Program

More than $200 million in state funds is expected to be transferred out of Arizona's public school system through the state's newly-expanded voucher program.