By Corey DeAngelis | Wall Street Journal Editorial
Republicans across the country are calling themselves the Parents’ Party. Republicans in Arizona just proved they’re worthy of the name.
During his State of the State address in January, Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey told the Legislature: “This session, let’s expand school choice any way we can. . . . Send me the bills, and I’ll sign them.” Republican lawmakers were listening. Last week, on two party-line votes, the Arizona House and Senate passed a monumental school-choice bill, which will soon be delivered to the governor’s desk.
The state’s efforts come after what many have called the year of school choice. After months of power-hungry teachers’ unions fighting for school closings and political indoctrination in the classroom in 2021, 18 states chose to enact or expand programs to fund students instead of systems. Arizona just one-upped all of them.
Most of the nation’s existing school-choice initiatives are limited to certain students based on eligibility categories such as income or special needs. Arizona’s expanded program eliminates such distinctions by allowing all families to take most of the state portion of their children’s taxpayer-funded education dollars to the providers of their choosing. The funding—about $7,000 a student—will follow the child to an “education savings account” directed by his parents or guardians. The funds may be spent on any approved education expenditures, such as private-school tuition and fees, tutoring, instructional materials and curriculum.
