As members of the Governing Board of the Sonoita Elementary School District, we are entrusted by our community to serve as responsible stewards of public education and taxpayer resources. We write today with shared concern regarding the continued expansion of Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program and its growing impact on public schools across our state.
We recognize and respect that families want the best possible educational opportunities for their children. Choice and innovation have long been part of Arizona’s education landscape, and thoughtful policy can play a role in meeting diverse student needs. However, choice must be balanced with accountability, transparency, and a firm commitment to equity for all students.
Currently, more than one billion dollars in public funds are being directed annually to the ESA program. These dollars are diverted from public school classrooms, support services, transportation, special education programs, and essential instructional resources. For rural and small districts like ours, even modest funding losses can have significant and lasting consequences for students and educators. In addition, the program has required approximately $52 million in supplemental funding to remain viable, further increasing the burden on Arizona taxpayers (Source: Arizona Department of Education).
At the same time, public schools in Arizona operate under some of the most rigorous regulatory and auditing standards of any taxpayer-funded institutions in the state. We are subject to extensive financial oversight, academic reporting requirements, open meeting laws, public records statutes, teacher certification, and regular compliance reviews. These measures exist to ensure responsible use of public funds and high-quality educational outcomes.
In contrast, the ESA program currently operates with significantly fewer accountability requirements. Schools and educational providers receiving ESA funds are not held to the same state standardized testing requirements, nor are they assigned the public letter grades that allow families, taxpayers, and policymakers to evaluate school performance statewide. Without consistent academic benchmarks, transparent performance data, or comparable reporting standards, there is limited ability to assess educational quality or outcomes for students participating in the program. This lack of uniform accountability raises serious concerns about transparency, effectiveness, and responsible stewardship of public funds.
We are also deeply concerned about the equity implications of the program. Without strong safeguards, ESA funding may disproportionately benefit families who already have access to private resources, while leaving behind students from low-income households, rural communities, and historically underserved populations.
Public education remains the most reliable pathway to opportunity for many of Arizona’s children. Policies that weaken this system risk widening existing achievement gaps and limiting long-term economic mobility.
Our intent is not to oppose families seeking educational options. Rather, we advocate for responsible reform that ensures all public dollars are used transparently, equitably, and in the best interest of students.
We respectfully call on state leaders to strengthen accountability measures, require regular independent audits, establish clear performance standards, and ensure that ESA funding does not undermine the stability of public schools.
Arizona’s future depends on a strong, accessible, and high-quality public education system. As local board members, we witness daily the dedication of educators, staff, and families working together to support student success. These efforts deserve sustained investment and fair policy treatment.
We remain committed to constructive dialogue and collaborative solutions that place students first. We urge policymakers and community members to engage in thoughtful review of the ESA program and work toward reforms that uphold transparency, equity, and excellence in education for all.