NE Valley Times

Arizona Rep. Joseph Chaplik criticized Governor Katie Hobbs after she expressed concerns about the impact of Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) on the state budget. Chaplik accused Hobbs of playing politics and jeopardizing the future of Arizona's children. He defended ESAs, stating that they provide parents with the opportunity to invest in their children's education.

Governor Hobbs released a statement on Wednesday addressing Superintendent Tom Horne, a vocal advocate of ESAs, urging him to address excessive spending and take measures to curb it. She expressed concerns about the ESA program's impact on the state's finances and called for accountability to end what she referred to as wasteful spending.

In response to Hobbs' statement, Horne, Speaker Toma, and President Petersen reaffirmed their support for ESAs. Horne argued that the Governor's calculation was flawed, stating that she did not account for the $13,000 per student that would otherwise be spent on public schools. He emphasized that the overall expenditures for all public school spending, including the ESA program, were $72 million below budget.

Hobbs has been a critic of school choice and has promised to repeal a major school choice bill from July 2022. This bill expanded ESA access and allocated $7,000 per child for alternatives to public education. The program's expansion was one of the most significant in the nation.

The Arizona ESA program was initially limited to specific categories of students, such as those with disabilities, students in failing public schools, wards of the court, and others. However, a recent comprehensive school choice bill significantly broadened ESA access, making it available to all students.

A survey commissioned by the "yes. every kid. foundation" in August revealed that 63% of Arizona voters support school choice. The survey also highlighted that 78% of parents support the ESA program. However, Governor Hobbs has limited support within the state, with an approval rating of only 34% according to the same foundation.

Speaker Ben Toma also issued a statement affirming that the state's education budget is on track. He cited a recent report from the Department of Education, stating that the budget is projected to have a year-end surplus of approximately $77 million. Toma emphasized that the budget estimate for the ESA program's enrollment was within 1% of the current program enrollment.