Report: 81% of Goodyear-area voucher recipients had no public schooling history

A report released by Save Our Schools Arizona showed 81% of voucher recipients had no previous ties to public schooling in three Goodyear and Litchfield Park districts, imposing $17 million in new costs to the state.

SOS used recent data from the Arizona Department of Education’s Quarter 2 ESA voucher report. The report revealed 10,053 students in the West Valley area are receiving vouchers. Each voucher averages $9,768, which equates to approximately $98 million allocated to area ESA voucher recipients.

After ESA's rollout, 271 Litchfield Elementary District-area students opted out of public schooling to pursue private schooling. The 271 new private schoolers only account for 20% of the 1,358 students receiving funding from the program.

SOS claims the situation diverts nearly $13 million in district funds and creates $10.6 million in new costs for the state through the new funding of private students who had no public schooling history or funding burden.

Likewise, only 115 of Liberty Elementary District’s 471 students were new private school option students. Awarding new state funds to historically private students, with no public schooling background in this district, diverted nearly $4.6 million in funds from the district and created $3.5 million in new costs for the state.

In Agua Fria Union High School District, only 31 students were new private schoolers out of 397 individuals receiving aid in that district’s area. Awarding new state funds to historically private school students in this district diverted nearly $4.6 million in funds from the district and created $3.8 million in new costs for the state.

According to SOS, 81% of West Valley-area voucher recipients never attended district public schools. It estimates an additional cost to the state of $79 million for students who were already enrolled in private schooling options.

The Brookings Institution, a nonpartisan policy think tank, also suggests the voucher program disproportionately benefits families from wealthier ZIP codes in Arizona, exacerbating the inequality in the state's education system.

Save Our Schools Arizona called upon the Arizona legislature to reform the voucher program in a released statement.

“Save Our Schools Arizona calls upon the Arizona legislature to meaningfully reform the voucher program by requiring students requiring students to have prior experience in the public education system, as required by Gov. Hobbs’ proposed executive budget, to responsibly balance the state budget and meet the needs of Arizona working families,” it wrote. “We also urge lawmakers to add critically needed financial oversight and academic accountability measures as supported by 80% of Arizona voters, according to a new poll by the Center for the Future of Arizona. This includes 71% of Republican voters, 77% of Independents, and 91% of Democrats. Action must be taken in this year’s budget — Arizona students and educators cannot wait.”