Page 35 - AASBO Winter 2019.indd

PROP. 305 DEFEAT “We’re all grownups. We’re all familiar with the idea that you
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34 have to prioritize things,” she said. “So, if they are telling the
truth and they do support the choice of public education, then
that’s the priority conversation.”
“ is is actually not a voucher issue,” she said. “ is is a But some on the side of ESAs have doubled down on their
public education issue.” support for voucher expansion.
As long as funding remains where it is, she said there is no e American Federation for Children ultimately opted to
voucher conversation to be had. stand against Prop. 305, fearing that the state’s Voter Protection
Arizona’s voucher program, known as Empowerment Act would have locked the law in place, including an enrollment
Scholarship Accounts, or ESAs, pays parents or guardians cap of 30,000 students.
90 percent of the money that would have gone to a student’s But spokeswoman Kim Martinez said the ESA program will
public school. e money can be spent on private school not be sidelined.
tuition, tutoring and home-school curriculum. e program “It’s short-sighted to put funding concerns above children
began in 2011 for only special needs students and has grown whose learning requirements have to be met today,” Martinez
to allow an array of students, such as ones from failing said in an email. “ e recent campaign of misinformation,
schools and children whose parents are in the military. confusing Arizonans on ESAs, was a disservice.”
Save Our Schools Arizona has said the program takes She pointed out the expansion may have failed but students
money out of public schools without any accountability. will still have access to the program. She said 250,000 students
If the pro-voucher side wants to talk about making will be eligible to apply next year under current eligibility
alterations to the existing program, she said they need to categories.
want to get bugs out of the current system rst. She said Other voucher proponents stood by Prop. 305 and appear
many voters’ problem was not with vouchers but with undeterred by its failure or promises that SOS Arizona isn’t
a program now plagued with fraud and misuse. Recent going away now that they’ve won.
headlines have spotlighted hundreds of thousands in ESA e day after the election, the Goldwater Institute declared
funds being used not on educational choice but on personal its intentions to continue the ght, emphasizing that Prop.
spending sprees. 305 would have expanded the availability of vouchers to all
And it’s not as if public education funding is not already students.
a priority. “Arizona has been a national leader on the path to greater
e issue was at the top of politicians’ minds even before school choice for families,” Goldwater President and CEO Victor
thousands of teachers and support sta went on strike and Riches said in a press release. “ e Goldwater Institute will
marched on the Capitol. continue the ght to give students and their families a greater
Penich- acker said pro-voucher lawmakers have always say in their education in Arizona and across the country.”
told her they care about public schools and only wanted to
o er vouchers as another option. Katie Campbell can be reached at kcampbell@azcapitoltimes.com

“We’re all grownups. We’re all
familiar with the idea that you have

to prioritize things. So, if they are
telling the truth and they do support

the choice of public education, then
that’s the priority conversation.”

— Dawn Penich-Thacker

WINTER 2019 | THE EDGE 35