One year in, Arizona’s universal school vouchers are a cautionary tale for the rest of the nation

BETH LEWIS, DR. SHARON KIRSCH Published: DECEMBER 11, 2023

The nation is watching as the devastating impacts of Arizona’s universal voucher program unfold. The most expansive and least accountable in the country, Arizona’s ESA voucher program is an unmitigated economic disaster with very real human impacts. 

Last year, Arizona lawmakers and Gov. Doug Ducey rammed through universal ESA vouchers pushed by out-of-state interests. The Republicans running the legislature sold universal vouchers under the ruse that it would help low-income students, insisting the additional cost to the state would be negligible. 

However, one year into this failed experiment, the truth is clear: universal ESA vouchers are welfare for the wealthy that will devastate the state’s budget and lead to school closures, teacher layoffs, and eventually cuts to services like firefighters, health care, roads and more. Republican former Rep. Joel John, one of the deciding votes on universal vouchers, said he’s “regretted it ever since… It was such bad policy, I was embarrassed I supported it.” 

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