top of page


Teaching 'Mockingbird' on the education frontier
Christian microschools are booming in Arizona, as parents use ESAs to fund the school of their choice. Chandler Fritz taught a summer reading class.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 22, 20253 min read


What do parents want? Public schools are competing for students
Public schools don't have a monopoly any more. Parents are using taxpayer-funded school choice to find alternatives.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 6, 20253 min read


Who benefits from universal choice? Mostly families with kids already in private school
Arizona's universal choice program mostly benefits middle- and upper-middle-class families who already had children in private school.

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 16, 20242 min read


How AZ parents spend ESAs: Specialty schools, private schools -- and karate lessons!
How are Arizona parents spending Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) money? They're paying for educational products and services,...

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 10, 20232 min read


Church, state and public school: Is the wall crumbling?
An Oklahoma board rejected a proposed Catholic charter school, citing the need for clarification on how a tax-funded Catholic school...

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 18, 20232 min read


Do parents know best? ESAs go for robots, rabbits, roping lessons
If a homeschooled child learns to code a toy robot, care for a pet rabbit or take cowboy roping lessons, is that an educational expense?...

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 8, 20233 min read


Funding follows students to religious school, if that's parents' choice
Empowered with a $7,000-per-child "backpack of cash," Arizona parents can choose an educational program -- including a religious private...

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 27, 20232 min read


ESAs expand in red and purple states, states, and blue-staters are interested too
"Capitalizing on parent’s frustration with public schools during the pandemic," Republican governors are pushing for education savings...

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 24, 20232 min read


School choice withstands challenge in Arizona
A campaign to repeal Arizona's expansion of school choice apparently has failed to gather enough signatures to go on the ballot. Arizona...

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 28, 20222 min read
bottom of page


