The Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Parent Handbook in our state was updated by the Department of Education Board. The controversial program allows parents to send their children to private or charter schools with money from public education.

This new handbook was approved by the board, but not unanimously. The modifications were approved by six board members and rejected by three. With the greater part vote, however, one of the needs for new state director Tom Horne turned into a reality. ”

“We’re authorizing the law and ensuring that uses are for important instructive purposes,” Horne explained.

Arizona Department of Education approves Handbook

One change to the new ESA handbook is that teachers now only need a high school diploma instead of specific degrees or certifications. According to Horne, this merely records something that was already taking place. If we somehow happened to remove that now, and say you must have a professional education, it would cause a great deal of commotion,” he said.

Yet, other board individuals contended the genuine wellspring of anarchy is last-minute changes to the handbook that they say focus on subsidizing for private and sanction schools over admittance to financing for ESA families. ” Jennifer Clark, a board member who opposed the new ESA handbook changes, said, “This will have the greatest negative impact on special education students.” Those families are probably going to change to an ESA. We are not considering what has been done for ten years and what is in the best interest of ESA parents.

Advocates for public schools are also concerned that the state’s increased spending on the program will reduce public school funding. Beth Lewis, director of Save Our Schools Arizona, stated, “The legislature has prioritized elite private academies instead of public school teachers again.” Lewis believes that the new manual is not the most important thing; It’s what she claims is missing.

“They’re not sincerely attempting to guard kids, they’re doing whatever it takes not to refresh scholastic principles, they’re doing whatever it takes not to make it straightforward,” Lewis said. ” Therefore, the program that is already taking money from our public schools only gets worse.

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