by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Jul 18, 2025 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
Following President Trump’s directive to scrub divisive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, practices, and language from public institutions, the U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to the Arizona Department of Education (DOE) to ensure that schools comply with these requirements.
The Arizona DOE notified every school district and charter public school that they must submit a completed certification confirming compliance with the federal civil rights law. A public website was developed to track which districts and schools have completed the certification and which have not. Though the majority of schools are listed as “in compliance,” the question remains: have they all truly purged their websites and learning environments of DEI practices? A quick review and some basic research suggest that not all these schools are fully committed to the removal of this woke material.
Alhambra Elementary School District in Phoenix has a subcommittee titled “Culture, Conditions, & Climate” with a stated need to “increase its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion capacity to ensure it is an inclusive environment.” The district plans to achieve this by subjecting staff to DEI trainings designed to establish that these adults teaching your children become anti-racist activists.
Recently, Scottsdale Unified School District has been the center of controversy surrounding their adoption of new textbooks that teach about George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, and anti-law enforcement rhetoric. Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has spoken out against this anti-American, DEI-infested curriculum, emphasizing that schools must steer clear of promoting an “unbalanced political agenda.”
In Glendale, the Washington Elementary School District has published a “Statement of Commitment to Educational Equity,” in which it outlines how DEI principles are integrated into its educational framework.
In an application for federal charter school start-up grants for 2024-2028, Desert Sage High School in Tucson declares its commitment to “diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-bias education, and social justice.” Among its goals is increasing the percentage of Hispanic and Native American students—an effort aimed more at virtue signaling just to demonstrate how unbiased they really are.
Several other schools maintain overreaching non-discrimination statements that include “gender identity” and “sexual orientation,” and some keep DEI in their mission statements.
And these are just the districts and schools that claim to comply with the federal civil rights law…
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by Ethan Faverino | Jul 7, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
A record number of Arizona high school students have earned the prestigious Seal of Arts Proficiency for the 2024-25 school year. 2,366 students have received this honor, some earning more than one, indicating proficiency in more than one arts discipline.
There was a total of 2,400 awards, marking the highest number of recipients since the program launched in 2019. These students were recognized across multiple disciplines of Visual Arts, Theatre, Music, Media Arts, and Dance.
“I am a passionate supporter of the arts. Not only do disciplines such as music, theatre, art, and dance have intrinsic value, but studies have proven that students who pursue the arts often do better academically,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne. “There is tremendous value in arts education, and I am extremely pleased to see the highest number of students in the history of this program receiving the Seal of Arts Proficiency. I also offer my congratulations to the Dysart district and its leadership for having the most students receiving this recognition.”
Out of the 2,400 seals and 2,366 participating students, the Dysart Unified School District was awarded 261 seals with 249 participating students.
The program was launched in the 2019-20 school year with hopes of recognizing students who demonstrate exceptional skills in the arts disciplines. Within the past 5 years, it has quickly grown from 585 participating students to 2,366. The total awards have also increased from 591 to 2,400, showing the state’s proficiency in high school arts. School involvement and support have also grown, with 58 schools participating in 2019 compared to 146 schools this year.
The Arizona Seal of Arts Proficiency honors students who demonstrate exceptional achievement in the arts, while also equipping them with essential life skills and preparing them for college. With nearly 80,000 jobs in Arizona’s arts and culture sector, the seal offers students a meaningful pathway into creative industries, allowing them to succeed both personally and professionally.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Tamra Farah | Jul 1, 2025 | Opinion
By Tamra Farah |
Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, launched in 2011, empowers families to tailor their children’s education with state funds. The 2025-2026 school year covers private school tuition, tutoring, and therapies, averaging $7,000 – $8,000 per student.
While the program serves over 93,000 students, that number is only a fraction of its possible reach. Bureaucratic inefficiencies and government red tape currently hinder broader access and limit the benefits of ESAs. The approval of the 2025-26 ESA Parent Handbook could have fixed this, but as critics pointed out, the handbook’s restrictive guidelines and manual review processes create more bureaucratic obstacles.
Now, it’s time to examine some of the key aspects of the ESA Program. We need real change, including adopting best practices from other states to streamline operations, better serve families, and extend this opportunity to more Arizona children.
ESA Application Process
The ESA program provides eligibility to any Arizona child from kindergarten through 12th grade, including preschoolers with disabilities, as outlined in the 2025-26 ESA Parent Handbook and A.R.S. §15-240. Families apply via the Arizona Department of Education’s (ADE) online portal, submitting proof of residency and, for students with disabilities, an IEP or 504 Plan.
Approvals are typically granted within 30 days. Approved families sign a contract to use funds for educational expenses and to forgo public school enrollment. Quarterly tuition deposits are managed through ClassWallet, requiring allocation to core subjects like reading and math, with receipt submission to ensure compliance. Non-compliance risks account suspension, balancing flexibility with accountability.
ClassWallet and Financial Management
ClassWallet simplifies ESA fund management through the ESA Applicant Portal, allowing parents to monitor balances and make transactions. It offers four spending options: the Marketplace, with pre-approved items like textbooks; Pay Vendor, for payments to providers such as private schools; the Debit Card, which requires receipt validation for purchases like school supplies; and Reimbursement, for out-of-pocket costs after review.
Marketplace purchases are automatically deducted, like a math workbook, are automatically deducted, streamlining routine expenses. However, non-Marketplace transactions require manual review as mandated by the 2025-26 handbook, which causes inefficiencies and frustrates parents.
Manual Review Staffing Strain
The 2025-26 handbook requires a manual review for non-Marketplace items, a detailed and staff-intensive process. Items like custom curricula, tutoring from unregistered providers, computer hardware, therapies for students with disabilities, debit card purchases, public school fees, and expensive items such as a $500 musical instrument must be verified for educational relevance. This includes providing specific documentation for IEP students and detailed invoices.
With more than 93,000 students, that could mean up to 186,000 reviews annually taking 46,608 staff hours. That would require at least 23 full-time ADE employees, thereby straining resources. These reviews, mandated by A.R.S. §15-2403(B), caused delays for 77% of parents, according to a 2024 Heritage Foundation report, which fuels perceptions of bureaucratic inefficiency.
The 2025-26 Handbook Controversy
The latest handbook’s approval by the Arizona State Board of Education (SBE) with an 8-1 vote sparked controversy over its compliance with state law. Critics, including parent Angela Faber, argued that its restrictive approval process, requiring additional documentation for disability-related expenses, violates A.R.S. §15-2402(B)(4), which permits funds for therapies and assistive technology.
Republican lawmakers criticized “overly restrictive cost guidelines,” such as a removed $16,000 cap on items like cellos, claiming the handbook defied a legislative warning. Still, no formal directive is documented, making the accusation speculative. The ADE asserts compliance with A.A.C. R7-2-1503 and A.R.S. §15-231(B), with a 30-day appeal period for denied expenses to ensure recourse. Despite revisions, late draft postings limited public review and increased debate. A 2023 report showed 96% of ESA funds supported academic goals, highlighting the program’s potential when managed effectively.
Lessons from Other States
Expanding ClassWallet’s Marketplace to include more pre-approved items could decrease manual reviews by 20–30% to improve the handbook’s inefficiencies. Implementing a machine-learning system for routine approvals, modeled on Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarship or Tennessee’s Individualized Education Account, would simplify processing. Reinstating debit cards with Merchant Category Code restrictions and adopting risk-based audits could reduce review volume by 40%. Better parental education through tutorials could lower errors, easing administrative burdens.
Potential Leadership Change: Horne vs. Yee
Amid the handbook concerns, Superintendent Tom Horne may face Treasurer Kimberly Yee in the Republican primary for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. During his tenure, Horne has advanced educational initiatives by eliminating the Kindergarten Entry Assessment to reduce teacher workload and expanded school safety with 565 new officers. As Arizona State Treasurer, Kimberly Yee has championed government transparency by pushing for easily accessible online budgets, with the Arizona Treasury website providing clear information on taxpayer spending, enhancing public accountability. Yee has also prioritized financial literacy for high school courses and a Financial Literacy Fund to educate students, seniors, and vulnerable populations. Voters are urged to select the leader in 2026 who is most qualified and prepared to improve upon the administratively challenged ESA program. Check out my previous column for more information about the Horne and Yee matchup.
Conclusion: Strengthening a National Model
The ESA program’s flexibility for over 93,000 students makes it a national leader, but the 2025-26 handbook’s manual reviews and controversial approval process show administrative challenges. Arizona can improve operations while keeping accountability by increasing transparency and adopting automation, learning from Florida and Tennessee.
For more details, visit https://www.azed.gov/esa or call (602) 364-1969. Be aware of potential staff availability constraints.
Tamra Farah leads AmericanStrategies.org. She brings twenty years of experience in public policy and politics as a journalist, focusing on protecting individual liberty and advocating for limited government. She has worked with ten local, state, and federal candidates and organizations, such as Americans for Prosperity, FreedomWorks, Moms for America, and Arizona Women of Action. Farah has regularly appeared on conservative radio, television, and print media.
by Ethan Faverino | Jun 30, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is applauding the U.S. Supreme Court for its decision to allow parents to opt their kids out of inappropriate sexual classes. This ruling requires all schools to offer parents the option to withdraw their children when their religious beliefs conflict with course material.
In its decision on Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that parents can opt their children out of public-school lessons containing inappropriate sexual content or LGBTQ+ themes that conflict with the family’s religious beliefs.
Horne praised this ruling, calling it a critical step in protecting young students from “inappropriate sexual lessons” and refocusing the classroom on core academics.
The case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, originated in Maryland, where parents challenged the local school board’s policy of not allowing opt-outs from lessons involving books with LGBTQ+ characters or sexual content. The Supreme Court’s decision sent the case back down to the lower courts for additional review but signaled strong support from parents all over the country.
The case involved “inclusivity” books that were announced in 2022 for students in pre-K through fifth grade in Maryland. Parents opposed the way the books defended controversial ideology around gender and sexuality.
For example, The Becket Fund noted one book tasks three and four-year-olds to search for images from a word list that includes “intersex flag,” “drag queen,” “underwear,” “leather,” and the name of a celebrated LGBTQ activist and sex worker.
Becket said another book advocates a child-knows-best approach to gender transitioning, telling students that a decision to transition doesn’t have to “make sense,” and teachers are instructed to say doctors only “guess” when identifying a newborn’s sex anyway.
“While scientific education regarding reproduction at an appropriate age is perfectly proper, there has been a trend to subject young children to sexual lessons that are inappropriate to their age,” said Horne. “Defenders of these programs say they want to be welcoming and inclusive. The proper way to do that is to include all students in education about reading, writing, math, science, history, and the arts. The inappropriate lessons about which parents are complaining are a distraction from these crucial academic subjects.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jun 24, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Arizona State Board of Education has adopted the Arizona Department of Education’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Parent Handbook for the upcoming school year.
This updated handbook was approved on June 23, 2025, by an 8-1 vote after more than a year of gathering feedback from parents and lawmakers.
“I am very pleased that the board has endorsed the updated handbook. The changes reflect the needs of parents to have clarity in how ESA expenses are reviewed, allow the department to continue its efforts to ensure the program is well-managed and that taxpayer dollars are used for appropriate educational purposes. Anything less would potentially damage the ESA program. I am committed to its long-term sustainability because it is a vital way for parents to have the freedom to choose the best education for their children,” said Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne.
The ESA program allows Arizona parents to use state funds for educational expenses like tutoring, homeschooling materials, and private school tuition. The handbook serves as a guide for parents on how to comply with the program rules and ultimately make sure all funds are used for appropriate educational purposes. It also covers eligibility, application process, and allowed and prohibited expenses.
The 2024-2025 handbook outlined basic ESA rules, eligibility, and allowed expenses, but lacked specificity in certain areas, particularly Special Education students. It provided general guidance on expenses like educational therapies, but did not include a structured approach to evaluate expenses for students with diverse needs, making it difficult for parents to navigate approvals for Special Education requirements.
The updated 2025-2026 handbook addressed these issues with a broader, more flexible framework for evaluating expenses for Special Education students. There are more explicit guidelines for how expenses are approved and evaluating expenses for students with unique needs, such as specialized therapies, adaptive equipment, and individualized educational materials.
However, some parents believe that the language is still too vague, indicating the ongoing challenges in fully meeting Special Education requirements.
During the Arizona State Board of Education board meeting, ESA Director John Ward defended the broad language that was used in the ESA Parent Handbook and said that it provides flexibility to address varied students’ needs.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
