Ghost Kids, Fraud and ESA Voucher Oversight, Arizona Horizon, Dec. 12

The Grand Canyon Institute’s Research Director Dave Wells introduced 11 of the ghost children (of 43) whom a Colorado couple were indicted for  by the Arizona Attorney General’s office for defrauding the Empowerment Scholarship Account Universal Voucher program of $110,000. Inexplicably, the next major announcement from Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne’s office was to immediately approve a backlog of unapproved voucher expenses by automatically approving 85,000 that are for less than $2,000. Despite being obviously short staffed, how does this move suggest the Arizona Dept. of Education can provide functional oversight? Wells calls for Hobbs and Horne to call for a Special Session of the legislature to add staff with unspent ESA vouchers funds in return for better accountability.

Financial Oversight Recommendations: 

• Audit all independent evaluations submitted to request eligibility for special needs children in the universal program to verify if criteria used is sufficiently consistent with  the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
• End the carry-over of ESA funds from year to year and sweep existing carry-over balances.
• Audit educational expenditures approved to date relative to the educational needs of the child by the Auditor General.
• Require that ESA awards are contingent on education plans that thoroughly document how funds will be used to meet the educational needs of the child.
• Require parents to re-apply each year with an educational plan for the child along with documentation of results and an evaluation from the prior educational plan including changes being made (in the absence of any testing requirement).
• Require all vendors receiving $200,000 or more in ESA funds to submit detailed independent audits that, like charter school audits, would be made publicly available.
• Require that all private schools charging tuition for a comprehensive educational program that receive ESAs submit Annual Financial Reports, like charter schools.

Contact: Dave Wells, Research Director, dwells@azgci.org or 602.595.1025 ex. 2.

Trade –offs with “School Choice” Sunday Square Off, Dec. 8

Grand Canyon Institute Sr. Fellow Curt Cardine appeared on Sunday Square Off to talk about the ramifications of “school choice” on districts like Roosevelt, which just announced plans to close five elementary schools, where only about 40% of the children in district attend the district schools–even though the district’s schools are rated “B” similar to the charters. Private schools are not graded. Cardine suggests ESA vouchers return to their prior targeted status, instead of having no household income limit. Pick up the episode at the 16:56 point.

Contact: Curt Cardine, Sr. Fellow, CCardine@azgci.org.