Arizona Education Network

**UPDATED 4/19/2011** Governor Brewer signed HB 2301 on Tuesday, April 19, 2011. To read about the benefit to public schools, see original post below. . On Wednesday, April 14, the Legislature sent a bill to the Governor’s desk that would allow public schools some flexibility with tax credit funds allocated prior to 2011. Currently, tax  Continue Reading >

Explaining that the costs would unbalance the budget, Governor Brewer vetoed the expansion of the private school tax credit program yesterday (4/12/11). . HB 2581, passed by both chambers of the Legislature would have: increased the private school tax credit to $750 for an individual/$1,500 for those filing jointly.  With the veto, it will remain at  Continue Reading >

The Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts bill (SB1553) creates a new way for public funds to be used to pay for private and parochial schools for special education students.  The Empowerment Scholarship Accounts will be used to pay parents rather than private schools directly, answering the major legal objection to the previous attempt to use public funds to pay  Continue Reading >

Today’s U.S. Supreme Court private school tax credit ruling is bad news for poor children in the state of Arizona and a big boon for the wealthy.

On Monday, April 4, 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court released its opinion, dismissing the lawsuit challenging the Arizona’s private school-tuition tax credit program.

On Wednesday, November 3, 2010 the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on the legality of Arizona’s tax credit program. At issue is whether tax credit payments, which overwhelmingly benefit private religious schools, violate the separation of church and state.

The House rejected an effort to put income limits on the privated school tax-credit program; refusing to establish a “means test” or income requirement for those applying for private school scholarships paid for by the tax-credit program.  The private school tax-credit program which was represented to create choice for those with limited means starts to run the risk of  Continue Reading >

In another blow to fiscal responsibility in AZ, four bills have successfully passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee in recent weeks, which would expand the private school tax-credit program if adopted. Three of these bills would increase private school tax-credit contributions allowing an approximate loss of $60 million to Arizona’s general fund, and would require nearly 8,000 students to transfer from a public school to a private school in order for these programs to be, at best, budget neutral.

As the Arizona budget continues to increase, legislators have been busy finding ways to further diminish the general fund. Several bills are making their way through the legislature under the guise of private school tax credit reform that would drastically increase the amount of the tax credit deductions for private school tuition.

The Arizona Republic reported that private school tuition tax credits that are earmarked for individual students may be in violation of federal law.

A bi-partisan task force met in the House today for a second hearing covering investigations of School Tuition Organizations (STOs) and reform of the private-school tax credit program.

On Wednesday 10/21/09, the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed its April 2009 decision that the Arizona School Tuition Organizations Program for private schools is unconstittutional.

The Arizona Republic and the East Valley Tribune have each published their respective analysis on private school tax credits, school tuition organizations (STOs), how they are meeting the spirit or intent of the tax credit legislation, transparency of programs and costs, and the players/organizations involved.

On July 13, 2009 Governor Jan Brewer signed new legislation to extend and expand the premium corporate tax credit for private schools.  This legislation was enthusiastically supported by some of the same legislative members who have been pushing for massive cuts to public education as a way to close our growing, $3.5 billion state budget  Continue Reading >

The Senate heard several education bills in the Committee as a Whole (COW).  We have provided an analysis for one specific bill – SB1023 – which would allow for an increase in Premium Tax Credits to private schools.  A list of other education-related Senate bill actions from June 18, 2009 can be found at the  Continue Reading >

On June 18th, the Senate heard several education bills in the Committee as a Whole (COW). We have provided an analysis for one specific bill – SB1023 – which would allow for an increase in Premium Tax Credits to private schools. Links to the other pieces of education-related legislation are also included on the bottom of this post.

Recent Articles related to School Tax Organizations in Arizona and Legislative Conflict-of-Interest