Arizona is earning national plaudits for its recent passage of a school choice program that will allow all students to attend the school of their choice by using a state-sponsored scholarship.

The expansion of school choice has been a priority of Gov. Doug Ducey over the course of his nearly eight-year tenure, and his final legislative session as governor marked the successful culmination of his agenda to help more students access the educational environment that fits their needs. 

“Let’s think big and find more ways to get kids into the school of their parents’ choice, especially those in failing schools or who can’t afford to pick up and move to a new neighborhood. Send me the bills, and I’ll sign them,” Ducey told lawmakers at his January 10 State of the State address.

The Legislature delivered in the final days of the legislative session with passage of HB 2853, which makes Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, or ESAs, available to all K-12 students.

Begun in 2011, ESAs were previously limited only to students who fell into certain categories.

HB 2853, which was sponsored by Rep. Ben Toma, R-Peoria, and passed along party lines, also expands the use of ESA funds for transportation and equipment like computers or other education technology. The scholarship money is funded by the state and equal to 90% of what the state would provide for charter-school students.

“Our kids will no longer be locked in under-performing schools,” Ducey said after the bill’s passage. “Today, their future success is unlocked. With this legislation, Arizona will now be the first state in the nation to offer all families the option to choose the school setting that works best for them.” 

National commentators have taken notice.

“Most other state programs cap the number of students, set income eligibility requirements, or require students to be enrolled in public schools to apply. Arizona’s program may be the nation’s broadest,” the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board.

Writing in National Review, national reporter John Fund , “Kudos to Governor Ducey and Arizona legislators for giving parents the power to go around the Education Blob and take control of their children’s education.”

Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children, the bill’s passage “the biggest school choice victory in U.S. history.” 

“Families will be able to take state funded education dollars to any education provider that meets their student’s curricular needs whether that be public, private, or a home-based educational option,” he said.

Despite concern from some corners about how the expanded program will affect district and charter school funding, Arizona’s costs roughly $6,400 for a typical student, compared to the more than $11,000 that state and local taxpayers spend on each public school student. 

Other states have taken notice. The editorial board at the Las Vegas Review-Journal in applauding Arizona’s program wrote, “Public school bureaucrats and their defenders claim Nevada needs to spend more to improve education. But Nevada politicians have tried that approach for decades. It hasn’t worked.”

In a radio on Monday, DeAngelis said, “At the end of the day it’s only going to lead to families having a choice for their kids. Educational funding is meant for educating children, not for propping up and protecting a particular institution whether it’s public or private. Arizona has allowed the money to follow the child. Arizona has figured it out.” 

Axios Phoenix on Tuesday that Save Our Schools Arizona, a group hostile to private school choice that successfully referred to voters a previous attempt to expand the ESA program, plans to make another attempt to refer this year’s bill the ballot, meaning voters might have the last word on the program’s fate at the November elections.

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Advocates for reforms to Arizona’s system of funding K-12 schools presented their views to state lawmakers at a luncheon on Monday.

“I don’t think there is a more prime opportunity for the Legislature to take this on, considering the state’s historic investments in education and the federal dollars schools have on hand,” said Matthew Simon, vice president for government affairs and advocacy for Great Leaders Strong Schools. “This is an opportunity to reform our system to ensure we have a K-12 student funding system that funds students the same regardless of the types of public school they attend.”

The group and its allies believe the funding system should be reshaped to fund students more equally, regardless of whether the student attends a public district school or a public charter school, or whether the school is an urban, suburban, or rural area. In addition, the system should reflect the state’s robust school choice options.

A recent poll conducted by nationally recognized firm Public Opinion Strategies found that nearly 80% of Arizona voters believe every K-12 student should be funded the same way regardless of what school they attend or where they live. Seventy percent of respondents said they would support a new funding formula.

The poll of 500 voters was conducted last month and has a margin of error of 4.38%.

“It is very promising that voters see something wrong with the current system and are becoming more interested in a true student-centered funding system,” Simon said. 

The current K-12 funding formula fluctuates depending on the type of school, the makeup of the local property tax base, the student mix, and whether voters in the jurisdiction have supported bonds and budget overrides. District schools are funded with a mix of state and local tax dollars, while charter schools cannot access local dollars.

The complexity of the funding formula, say reform advocates, does not treat students the same based on where they are attending school, but rather is still largely calibrated around systems. 

School districts must campaign during elections to raise property taxes so that schools may receive increased funding, but a statewide per-student funding formula would eliminate the need for local bond and override elections. 

“Districts with lower property value and less cooperative voters have much more trouble securing bonds and increased funding for their schools,” Simon said. “A state student funding formula wouldn’t just make economic sense for these districts, but we hope that all districts would do the economic math and realize that it is the better option. We want to provide a glide path for these districts to make this choice.” 

Simon also discussed the formula used to calculate funding for school transportation. The current formula does not account for the major changes in enrollment that some school districts have experienced over the past 20 years. 

“You have districts like Tucson Unified School District, which are down nearly 30% in enrollment in the last 20 years, and yet they still receive funding for student transportation as if their enrollment was at an all-time high,” Simon said. “And this money that they receive does not have to be spent on transportation. The transportation formula is flawed.” 

Reform advocates in 2021 backed legislation passed by the state Legislature and signed by Gov. Doug Ducey to establish a $20 million competitive grant program to enable district and charter schools, local governments and non-profit groups to modernize student transportation and make it easier for families to access schools other than their assigned location or schools not near a city bus line. Under the program, districts and charters can also provide direct grants to families for transportation needs, whether direct commutes, carpools, K-12 ridesharing, or public transit.

Advocates this year are supporting legislation that would increase flexibility in the types of vehicles education providers can integrate into their fleets.

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Imagine you’ve just moved into the Arizona State Capitol – great bones, but it’s a bit of a fixer-upper.

You need to find a school for your 7^th grader. Within a mile-and-a-half, there are 5 middle schools. But inside 3 miles, your options expand to 19 public schools – many with high ratings and strong reviews.

Just one problem: like thousands of Phoenix families, you don’t have a car – meaning your child is effectively limited to the single middle school served by the school bus route. So much for school choice.

Gov. Ducey and legislators began that process this year with approval of a $20 million competitive grant program. The pilot will enable district and charter schools, local governments and non-profit groups to submit innovative proposals for student transport.

The fact is, more than half of K-8 students in metro Phoenix attend a school other than the one assigned to them according to their address. A growing number of families are taking advantage of a broad menu of school options, including district, charter, online, micro-schools and more. Yet, until now, Arizona’s K-12 transport system – and the funding that supports it – has remained yoked to the increasingly outdated model of diesel-belching yellow school buses we all remember from our childhood.

Today, nearly 2 out of 3 students nationally travel to school each day in a household vehicle, walk or ride a bike;. The trend long preceded the pandemic, but has accelerated in the past two years amid a widespread bus driver shortage that has sent schools scrambling and led to canceled routes and frustrated families.

Just like there is no single style of school that meets the needs of all students, Arizona requires a multifaceted approach to student transport. The first round of, with awardees proposing everything from on-demand micro-transit solutions like vans, to app-based carpooling, rideshare and more. Midtown Primary School in central Phoenix will even use grant funds to create what it calls a “walking school bus,” which will involve use of staff members, adults and walking ropes to help young students safely walk to and from school and navigate busy intersections.

Another common sense solution involves realigning municipal bus routes and bus stops so that they can be more useful to students. A Minneapolis program to give monthly bus passes to high-school students resulted in reduced truancy and improved GPAs. Surveyed students said the added flexibility of the municipal system helped them both get to school and participate in afterschool activities. Arizona schools have the opportunity to partner with local governments and non-profits to create similar cooperative efforts.

During the past legislative session, South Phoenix parent Alysia Garcia told lawmakers that – as an open enrollment transfer family for the last decade – her family has solely borne the expense of taking her kids to and from school every day. That’s 5,600 trips totaling over 62,000 miles.

“What is the point of having a great open enrollment policy if families aren’t able to utilize it?” Garcia asked. “I’m fortunate to have a vehicle to transport my kids. What about the kids who don’t have vehicles?”

She’s right. Arizona families already pay taxes to support a wide array of public school options. They deserve a modern student transport system designed with this flexibility in mind to help their kids get to and from these schools safely.

Matthew Ladner is the Director of the Arizona Center for Student Opportunity

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A for Arizona, an education organization that advocates for policies that increase the ability of Arizona K-12 students to access excellent schools, announced today the awardees of the Arizona Transportation Modernization Grant Program, a first-in-the-nation $20 million initiative to modernize K-12 transportation options and improve access to reliable and safe transportation for students.

The grant program is administered through the A for Arizona Expansion & Innovation Fund and supports locally driven solutions to provide reliable access for more families to the public learning options that best meet each child’s needs.  

“Arizona has a system of public school options envied across the country, but transportation barriers to these quality schools are a reality for far too many Arizona families,” Gov. Doug Ducey. “Arizona kids deserve access to a classroom that meets their needs, and the Arizona Transportation Modernization Grants Program is providing new ways to make this a reality. These solutions will strengthen opportunities for K-12 kids and their families in rural communities and all areas of the state. I thank A for Arizona for their partnership in launching this vital effort.”  

Grant applications were reviewed and assessed by a committee of local and national industry, philanthropic and community leaders. In this first cycle, the committee awarded more than $18 million in awards to fund 24 proposals across Arizona, with 40% of the funds going to proposals representing rural and remote communities.  

Grant awardees will deliver a wide range of school transportation solutions to tackle problems identified at the local level, including providing direct-to-family grants to help assist with transportation needs, high-efficiency vehicles to drive down costs, micro-transit efforts to target key subgroups of students, and more.

include Arizona Autism Charter Schools, which plans to use its $2 million grant to partner with Kid Commute, an organization dedicated to transporting students with special needs, and launch a transportation system that serves high-needs students traveling from all parts of the Valley.

Bowie Unified School District, a small district in rural Cochise County, aims to use its $550 thousand grant to purchase an electric bus with Wi-Fi and the necessary charging supports to dramatically increase efficiency, reduce gas and maintenance costs, and to safely transport students long distances. BUSD believes it can help increase homework completion rates and put the bus to use in non-school hours to get services to needy families.

“The Arizona Transportation Modernization Grants will accelerate the pace at which the Grand Canyon State can move past an antiquated education transportation system and respond to the student-focused needs of the 21st century,” said Emily Anne Gullickson, founder and CEO of A for Arizona. “It is evident by the competitive cycle and number of high-quality proposals that school leaders, entrepreneurs, and community partners have forward-thinking and innovative solutions ready to address our K-12 transportation needs. This first cycle of awardees will serve as a catalyst to tearing down long-standing access barriers and inform playbooks on how others can deliver multiple transit options to better serve every K-12 student.” 

The Arizona Transportation Modernization Grants Program was established in the state budget passed in June by the Legislature. Supported by a coalition of education reform groups representing the education and business communities, the grant program provides resources to improve access to reliable and safe transportation for students who attend a district school through open enrollment or who attend a public charter school.

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Applications for a new initiative aiming to expand access and improve the reliability and safety of school transportation in Arizona by modernizing the state’s transportation network are now open.

Administered through A for Arizona, the Arizona Transportation Modernization Grant will disperse $20 million in grants supporting proposals designed to improve school transportation across the state. Ten million dollars were appropriated by the state Legislature earlier in the year and will be matched with federal stimulus funding through the Governor’s Office. At least $5 million will support proposals in rural and underserved communities.

“The grant program provides resources in addition to current transportation funding levels to incubate ideas to improve access to reliable and safe transportation for students who attend a district school through open enrollment or attend a public charter school, and to accelerate innovation and efficiency solutions,” According to A for Arizona.

“The Arizona Transportation Modernization Grants Program will strengthen opportunities for kids and families in rural communities and all areas of the state, and it will expand access to safe transportation for K-12 students,” said Gov. Doug Ducey. 

The program will also seek to expand transportation options for students attending nontraditional schools. 

“Through this all-call for solutions, public schools have an incredible opportunity to partner with entrepreneurs, local government, and community leaders to boldly identify options to transport students not solely reliant on yellow school buses,” Thiel Capital Managing Director Jack Selby said. Selby is an A for Arizona board member.

Schools, local governments, and community leaders can submit grant proposals up to $2 million on . The application window will close at 3 pm MST on Friday, October 8.

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A coalition of organizations supporting Arizona public charter schools are urging Arizona’s congressional delegation to reject efforts to cut federal funding for these schools. , CEO for the Foundation for Excellence in Education, that the letter aims to urge the congressional delegation to “treat all public school students equally by restoring the education funding cut in the Charter School Program fund, and eliminate language that could especially harm public school students with special needs and low income students who attend their schools.”

The coalition’s letter says that the current House Appropriations budget for FY 2022 decreases education funding for more than 3.3 million students nationwide. Of these 3.3 million students, there are more than 213,000 children in Arizona who will experience education funding cuts because their families chose to educate them in public charter schools.

The letter also notes that the Federal Charter Schools program is an important source of support for the broader public school system. The coalition is concerned that the FY 22 budget removes $40 million from the Charter Schools Program while the American Rescue Plan had just allocated $125 billion in new funding for public schools.

Supporters of public charter schools believe funding cuts for only public charter schools is discriminatory towards charter schools and their students.

Arizona’s legacy of education freedom

In Arizona, more than 21% of Arizona’s public-school students choose public charters as their education provider. It is also the case that these charter schools serve some of the state’s poorest students. The letter explains that “59% percent of whom are students of color and an estimated 133,000 students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch,” subjecting some of the state’s most vulnerable students to deep funding. 

Charter schools are also often specialized to help students with different learning disabilities that other schools may not be equipped to treat with the same care.

Excluding charter schools from education funding

The coalition concludes its letter to the congressional delegation by asking the elected officials to “keep in mind that public demand for education options is at an all-time high. Learning models that embrace innovation, flexibility and a robust suite of options are key factors for achieving a student-centered education system.” 

Coalition members noted a study from the University of Arkansas finding that “higher levels of education freedom are significantly associated with higher NAEP achievement levels and higher NAEP achievement gains.” NAEP stands for the National Assessment of Educational Progress. 

The letter was signed by the Foundation for Excellence in Education, the national Alliance for Public Charter Schools, A for Arizona, the Arizona Charter Schools Association, the Arizona Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ of Commerce & Industry, the Black Mother’s Forum, Empowered AZ Families, great Leaders Strong Schools, the Greater Phoenix Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ of Commerce, and Love Your School.

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Legacy Traditional Schools recently earned the No. 1 spot for the top 10 charter schools in Arizona, according to the 2021 edition of business opinion poll. Other schools making this year’s list include charter schools with a long history in Arizona like BASIS, Great Hearts and Benjamin Franklin.

ł˘±đ˛µ˛ął¦˛â’s back-to-basics approach, which includes student uniforms, clearly resonates with parents. The non-profit’s A-rated schools continue to expand statewide. Today, there are more than 20 schools serving about 23,000 students.  

It is one example of how far charters have come since their start in Arizona in 1994, providing a range of programs and niches where almost any student can find the right spot, said Jake Logan, president and CEO of the . 

“I think charters have done a really nice job of continuing to diversify so students can find the right fit. You have students that have interest in arts. You have students that are high academic achievers. You have schools across the board that are student centered,” Logan said.  

Other schools with names many Arizonans are familiar with like BASIS, Great Hearts and Benjamin Franklin also made the top 10 list in the 2021 Ranking Arizona poll. 

The annual ranking is considered the state’s biggest and most comprehensive business opinion poll. More than 1 million participants vote to give their recommendations on simple questions about topics based on the quality of products, services and with whom they would recommend doing business.

Here’s the list of Top 10 Charters in the 2021 Arizona Ranking poll:

1. Legacy Traditional Schools  A-rated charter public schools emphasize turning students into “lifelong learners and engaged citizens” with a well-rounded curriculum that emphasizes all areas of academic study. The schools incorporate arts, physical education, athletics and extracurricular activities in their programming. The student body reflects all income levels. In Arizona, Legacy has campuses throughout the Phoenix metro region, Tucson, Casa Grande and the city of Maricopa. The company also operates in Nevada. 

2. Sequoia Schools One of the first charter schools in Arizona, Charter School in Mesa operates three schools on one campus: Sequoia Elementary, Sequoia Secondary and Sequoia School for the Deaf. Sequoia promises to “do whatever it takes” to help pupils succeed including tutoring programs in keeping with its philosophy that “Every Child is Known.” Sequoia is a highly diverse campus with a significant number of students on free and reduced lunches. Sequoia Schools also operate 13 other schools across Arizona.

3. Academies of Math and Science (AMS) Another long standing charter school that started in 2000 with 30 students, now operates nine campuses across Phoenix metro and Tucson. Many are in underserved areas. The schools advertise a well-rounded curriculum emphasizing STEM while incorporating foreign language, music, and art. Geared to “highly motivated students,” the schools are college-focused. Among its offerings are advanced and accelerated instruction and free after-school tutoring in all subjects. 

4. Great Hearts Academies

5. Benjamin Franklin Charter School

6. Arizona School for the Arts

7. BASIS Charter Schools

8. American Leadership Academy

9. Leman Academy of Excellence, Marana Campus

10. Primavera Online High School and Middle School

To read more about these and other charter schools in Arizona, visit: .

About charter schools in Arizona 

Arizona was one of the first states to start open enrollment and charter schools in 1994. Today, more than 213,000 Arizona students are enrolled in charter schools, making up nearly 20 percent of the state’s public school enrollment, according to the Arizona Charter Schools Association. Arizona’s 573 public charter schools make up approximately 28 percent of the state’s total schools.

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A new national report card places Arizona as the top state in the nation for a friendly regulatory environment that encourages charter schools to grow and excel. As a result, Arizona has one of the most robust and diverse charter school systems in the country, according to the report. 

For families, that equates into more options to find a school that fits their children’s unique needs, said Jake Logan, president and CEO of the nonprofit . 

“This indicates what we already know in Arizona, that we have a really great environment for innovation and for charter schools to flourish,” Logan said. “There’s always tweaks and needed changes and reforms that we can and should discuss, but overall we have a really healthy charter school sector and I think they are serving students very well.”

Arizona ranked number one for its charter school laws in the 2020 report from the nonprofit in Washington, D.C., which advocates for school choice. 

It was the only state to receive an “A” grade in the The study researched and assessed charter school laws in all states, analyzing the impact of state law on charter schools, the robustness of the charter sector, the diversity of schools and charter school policy and regulation. 

Atmosphere that encourages innovation and teacher freedom 

Arizona received especially high scores for charter authorization, growth, and operational practices that promote school autonomy, freedom to innovate and teacher freedom. 

This environment has resulted in the state leading the country when it comes to school choice and different approaches to learning, Logan said. 

“It’s really neat to see the different paths the schools take when it comes to customizing the education experience for parents and for students here,” Logan said. “For example, you have schools that focus on the arts, you have schools that focus on agriculture, you have schools that emphasize dual language, schools that emphasize a classical education. 

“Being able to have a blend — your academics with something you’re interested in and passionate about — it really is a winning strategy when it comes to kids’ education.”

Arizona pioneer in school choice 

Arizona was the second state to allow public and private more than 25 years ago. 

Today, 20 percent of Arizona students are enrolled in charter schools. Many successful concepts were homegrown here including BASIS schools that offer rigorous academics, Great Hearts with a curriculum built on a classical liberal arts education, and the newer and growing Prenda Microschool model where students are taught in groups of 5 to 10 in homes and other locations. 

Arizona’s more than 550 public charter schools make up approximately 28 percent of the state’s total schools according to the Arizona Charter Schools Association. More than 213,000 Arizona students are enrolled in charter schools.

Arizona also was a pioneer in open enrollment, where students may apply for admission to any district school depending on available classroom space.

The state also provides even more choices for students through the (ESA) program, which is administered by the Arizona Department of Education to provide educational options for qualified Arizona students. By opting out of the public school system, parents can seek a range of alternative educational services, such as private school or home-based education. Students eligible for these services include students living on tribal lands, those with special needs, children of military families and those in failing schools.

Charter schools attractive to business and industry

Logan also believes that school choice has become a great recruiting tool for businesses looking to locate here. 

“Education is important for families, and for employees and businesses,” he said. “And having the maximum opportunity to choose between a district school or charter school or other choices is a really paramount to Arizona’s  economic development strategy.”To view the Center for Education’s national rankings and scorecard .

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Jake Logan was named president and CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association in February. Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ sat down with Logan to discuss his passion for education, the importance of school choice and his priorities for this new role.​

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