Universal ESAs: Where We Are and Where We Are Going – Common Sense Institute AZ

ESA enrollment surged from 12,000 to over 56,000 students by mid-2023. Governor Katie Hobbs expressed concerns about the program’s potential cost, which she claimed was $1.5 billion over a decade. However, the CSI analysis revealed the decline in public school enrollment resulted in substantial state funding savings. The report highlights key figures, including over 44,000 newly enrolled ESA participants and $639 million in statewide savings due to lower-than-expected public school enrollment.