English learners are strongly underrepresented in the ESA program: 0.6% of ESA students versus 9.2% of public school students statewide¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2024 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2027: local conditions change quickly

Subclaims¶

q2 i? In 2022–23, only 188 English learners (0.6%) enrolled in the ESA program, although English learners represent about 9.2% of Arizona public school students. → Griffith 2024

Evidence¶

Griffith 2024¶

Griffith, M., & Burns, D. (2024). Understanding the cost of universal school vouchers: An analysis of Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account program. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/682.951

q2 · i? · associational · r2

Descriptive enrollment comparison from AdE's revised 1st quarter 2024 report, covering only ESA students previously enrolled in public school and identified as English learners, as the report's endnote specifies.

"While English learners represent 9.2% of public school students in the state, in 2022–23 only 188 enrolled in the ESA program (0.6%)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Arizona's ESA voucher program grew 409%, from 12,127 to 61,689 students, between the 2021–22 and 2022–23 school years, with nearly all growth from the new Universal ESA — related
• The large majority (71.2%) of Universal ESA users had not previously attended a public school, adding new costs to the state education budget — related
• The estimated net cost of the Universal ESA expansion is $242.7 million in 2022–23, rising to $295.2 million in 2023–24 — related
• The state's lack of publicly available ESA data hinders cost estimation; the report recommends publishing enrollment, expenditure, and transfer data — related
• About 27 percent of 2018 graduates statewide met all CCR graduation requirements, with gaps by socioeconomic status, English learner status, race/ethnicity, and prior achievement
• The Universal ESA amount exceeds per-pupil district funding, so elementary students leaving district schools each add $425 in state cost, while students leaving charter schools save the state $752 each — related
• Total ESA program cost reached about $587 million in 2022–23, a 211% increase over the prior year, equal to 8.8% of Basic Student Aid funding — related
• ESA programs have grown rapidly, serving over 326,400 students across 13 states as of the 2023/24 school year — related