Arizona AG and Education Department Settle Two-Year Fight Over Voucher Paperwork

Overview

• The lawsuit brought by ESA parent Velia Aguirre and the Goldwater Institute was dismissed in early July after Attorney General Kris Mayes and the Arizona Department of Education agreed to a settlement that narrows documentation rules.
• Parents who use Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) funds must now attest that supplemental items support their child’s curriculum and give the name of the course when asked, with false attestations risking suspension or loss of funds.
• The settlement requires the Department of Education to work with ClassWallet to add a prompt asking for the curriculum or course name when purchases are made, with the technical change to be in place as soon as feasible and no later than the second quarter of 2027.
• The deal follows a May Auditor General report that found weak DOE oversight and examples of non-educational ESA spending such as a generator, planter boxes and gym equipment, which helped drive the push for clearer controls.
• The agreement leaves open larger policy decisions for voters and lawmakers because competing November ballot measures and a legislative referral could change ESA rules or override parts of the settlement.