Arizona’s public schools have once again been ranked last in the nation, sparking a wave of anger among parents, teachers, and community leaders. For many, the ranking is not just about underfunding, it’s about broken trust.
One viral comment making the rounds summed up the outrage:
That sentiment has spread across social media, local school meetings, and kitchen-table conversations. Parents say they’re tired of seeing resources drained from classrooms while lawmakers prioritize expanding private school vouchers.
Parents and Teachers Push Back
The voucher program, known as Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs), was initially pitched as a small option for students with special needs. Today, it has ballooned to more than 90,000 students and is expected to cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion this year. Critics argue it’s a direct siphon of public funds, a devastating blow for schools already struggling with the lowest per-pupil funding in the country.
In Phoenix, a kindergarten teacher described cramming 32 five-year-olds into her classroom: “We don’t even have enough chairs. Meanwhile, lawmakers brag about funding private schools with no oversight.”
Rural districts are also feeling the pinch. In Gila County, parents say families are forced to drive long distances for basic programs like speech therapy after staff cuts: “When the state ranks last, it’s not just a number. It’s my kid losing services,” one father said.
Supporters of the program claim vouchers give families choice, but frustrated residents say that “choice” comes at the expense of everyone else. Mesa’s school board is preparing a formal letter to lawmakers demanding limits and transparency. “If 70% of voters said no, why was that ignored?” said board president Linda Marques. “Public schools deserve investment, not abandonment.”
