OPINION — Legislative District 29’s Steve Montenegro has used his power as speaker of the state House to promote the nation’s most expensive voucher system at the same time Arizona is second-to-lowest in support of education.
“School choice” is not a choice for most. Students who get vouchers for private schools must pay the tuition difference themselves. Students who get vouchers for home-schooling need a stay-at-home parent.
Most vouchers are going to students who never attended public schools, a new state expense that diverts money from public education. Students in charter schools must provide their own transportation. These options serve a selected and limited number of students. They are not subject to the same oversight and requirements as the public schools.
