Arizona Parents Unable to Access School Choice Program Helpline

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October 28, 2022

By Corinne Murdock |

Parents attempting to call the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) helpline for the school choice program are met with an automated voice that rejects their call due to “excessive call volume” and promptly hangs up.

No indication of wait times, and no promise of a call back.

We need a new ESA administration! It has been poorly managed for years. The issues everyone is having now are the same old problems, but just multiplied since we have tens of thousands of new students in the program.

This happened today. ⬇️🙄 🧵⬇️ pic.twitter.com/6VLiFb7KHY
— Christine Accurso (@ArizonaCatholic) October 27, 2022

It’s just another day of Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Program administration under ADE Superintendent Kathy Hoffman, who hasn’t exactly been shy about her disdain for school choice programs. Hoffman proclaims loudly and often that the ESA Program lacks accountability and remains dysfunctional, even well over three years into her administration.

Thank you @arizona_sos & @changinghands for hosting today’s signing event!
Let’s get this referendum on the ballot & have the voters decide if they want a universal voucher program with zero accountability.
Find a place to sign here ➡️ https://t.co/suVyW48Z6z pic.twitter.com/jAD6pbMvlK
— Kathy Hoffman (@kathyhoffman_az) July 16, 2022

AZ Free News asked ADE about the ESA Program helpline. They didn’t respond by press time.

What happened in Snowflake is one example of the lack of accountability with the ESA program. Stories like this will become more common with universal expansion. We only have 3 days left to stop this law from going into effect. Find out where to sign at: https://t.co/0j0mJo7IIh pic.twitter.com/mIxyaw1v2D
— Kathy Hoffman (@kathyhoffman_az) September 20, 2022

Christine Accurso, one of the ESA parents on the frontlines advocating for universal school choice, criticized the ADE for taking in an additional $2.2 million to hire 26 new workers this summer, yet still can’t manage the universal school choice program.

For many months the ESA office has only had their phones open from 10-2. They have an additional $2.2 million dollars & 26 new positions with this expansion & that money was retroactive back to 7/1. There should have been plans to have a larger team ready on DAY ONE. ⬇️
— Christine Accurso (@ArizonaCatholic) October 27, 2022

Last month on her reelection campaign trail, Hoffman insisted that universal school choice doesn’t help children with unique learning needs. She declared that it was a “taxpayer-funded coupon for the wealthy.” She then advocated for voters to sign an initiative to refer universal school choice to the 2024 ballot.

The ESA program was intended to provide more options for children with special needs or unique circumstances, like military families. With the current status of applicants, it is not achieving those goals. Instead, it is just a taxpayer funded coupon for the wealthy. https://t.co/hOqWm4iGfQ
— Kathy Hoffman (@kathyhoffman_az) September 2, 2022

Hoffman has fought consistently to eradicate the ESA Program.

The ESA program has an extensive history of financial mismanagement & lack of oversight. It's inappropriate to expand this program when it's grappling with many critical issues. Vote #NoProp305 to stop the expansion & keep public money in public schools 👉 https://t.co/CZs5zOUm7c pic.twitter.com/d0ZvH7oyj7
— Kathy Hoffman (@kathyhoffman_az) October 30, 2018

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.

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