According to Daniel Stefanski from the AZ Free News, Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma has called on Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne to resist Attorney General Kris Mayes’ push for increased regulation of the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program. Toma criticized the Attorney General’s ‘politically-motivated’ investigation and urged Horne to avoid burdening parents with excessive bureaucracy. Toma states in the article:
“I understand that you may have no choice but to cooperate with the Attorney General’s politically-motivated investigation. However, ADE is best situated to determine how to implement its policies in a way that fulfills legislative intent but does not burden parents with unnecessary bureaucratic requirements.”
Toma’s letter came in response to an email from Arizona Department of Education (ADE) ESA Executive Director John Ward, who informed parents about Mayes’ misguided claim that some ESA practices are inconsistent with state law, potentially resulting in unauthorized payments. This directive from the Solicitor General’s Office, which forces families to submit detailed curricula for all supplemental materials requested or purchased, threatens to undermine the very flexibility and parental empowerment the ESA program was designed to provide. Stefanski again quotes Toma:
“[I]t appears that the Attorney General’s Office is advancing an argument that documentation is required for most ESA-related expenses. The legislative record does not support such an overtly restrictive view or burdensome administration of the ESA program.”
Read the full story here.