By Kiera Riley | State Affairs
Empowerment Scholarship Account participants no longer need to provide proof of a curriculum to justify certain educational purchases after the attorney general agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by an ESA parent.
In July 2024, Attorney General Kris Mayes directed the Arizona Department of Education to start requiring documented curriculum for the purchase of pencils, pens, books and any items meant to supplement a course of study.
An ESA parent, represented by attorneys for the Goldwater Institute and backed by the department, challenged the policy, claiming it to be a violation of state law, State Board of Education policy, the ESA Handbook and — not to mention — burdensome to parents and the department.
