Governor quietly urging expansion of voucher program

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is conducting a behind-the-scenes lobbying effort, pressing lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow more publicschool students to use taxpayer aid to attend private schools, or for other education expenses.

The governor, who has avoided taking a public stance on a proposed full expansion of the divisive Empowerment Scholarship Account program, has discussed the plan with lawmakers in his Capitol office in recent days. The meetings are expected to continue today, when the legislation is scheduled for votes in the state Senate and House of Representatives.

The governor’s lobbying push comes as Republican lawmakers negotiate possible changes to the legislation that, as drafted, would allow all 1.1 million Arizona public students to use public money for private school, homeschooling expenses and other educational services and items.

Rep. Regina Cobb, R-Kingman, told The Arizona Republic on Wednesday that she met with Ducey and one of his staffers Wednesday to discuss the legislation.

Cobb has been critical of plans to expand ESAs and won re-election despite efforts to defeat her by the pro-voucher American Federation for Children, a non-profit previously chaired by U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

“One of the issues that I’ve always had is that we don’t have the same accountability for the ESAs that we have for public schools and the charter schools,” she said, noting talk of amending the plan in ways that might address her concerns. “His (Ducey’s) message is similar to my message: He’s always had concerns with some of these things,” but with proposed changes “he feels a little bit more strongly that this is not just a straight-up ESA bill and expansion — that it actually gets some accountability.”

One person familiar with a meeting the governor held this week said Ducey is “definitely trying to persuade House members now.”

Neil Giuliano, president and CEO of Greater Phoenix Leadership, said his conversations with lawmakers and lobbyists indicate the governor has made a push for ESA expansion during the past week and “certainly in the past 24 hours or so.”

Greater Phoenix Leadership opposes ESA expansion without similar growth to funding for public schools.

“It’s clear the governor is making a very strong play,” Giuliano said. “That seems obvious to everyone . ... Legislators, lobbyists anyone involved in education issues is fully aware this is something the governor wants to make happen.”

A spokesman for the governor would not discuss the meetings, nor would he describe the governor’s stance on the ESA legislation. In an email, Patrick Ptak wrote, “The governor regularly meets with legislators on a variety of issues. His top priority remains passing a budget.” Ducey has tried to position himself as an advocate for both school-choice and public schools.

ESAs allow parents to take 90 percent of tax money that would otherwise go directly to their local public schools and put it toward private-school tuition, homeschooling tutoring and other programs. Passed in 2011 as a program only for disabled children, the Legislature has continued to expand it, including to children in failing schools and others.

Currently the program is capped at 5,500 students, but the bills being considered in the Senate and House of Representatives would make ESAs available to all public-school students in four years along with any child entering kindergarten in a private school.

Critics argue that the program is largely used by more-affluent families to subsidize their private-school tuition bills, while proponents counter that it allows parents more options to educate their children.

A Republic analysis found that counter to its characterization as a benefit to lower-income students in poor-performing schools, the program funding is largely used by students abandoning higher-performing districts in more-affluent areas.

Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, said she had not met with Ducey but expected to today, depending on the House of Representative’s floor schedule.

Udall, who opposes ESA expansion, said she was not told the subject of the meeting, but said, “I’m sure it’s about ESAs.”

She said, “As far as I know, that’s what it’s about, and that’s what others have met with him about, so I assume that’s what it’s about.”

She added, “there has been a lot of talk about them, and them going to the floor very soon, and that’s what people have been called up about.”

Udall said expanding the program to all 1.1. million public students is fiscally unsustainable, and she views it as “an entitlement program, and I don’t want to expand it when we’re not fully funding public schools.”

Reps. Heather Carter, R-Cave Creek, and Doug Coleman, R-Apache Junction, have histories of opposing expansion of the ESA program.

Coleman said he had not met with the governor and said it’s likely because “they pretty well know I don’t support the ESA program.”

He says he’s not against school choice, but added, “We’re funding some choices better than other choices.”