Arizona
Hobbs announces plan to reform Arizona school voucher program
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Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, on Tuesday introduced a plan to rein in Arizona’s expanded school voucher program, but the proposal is likely to receive a cold reception in the Republican-controlled Legislature.
Since the Empowerment Scholarship Account program was expanded by Republican lawmakers and former Gov. Doug Ducey in 2022 — making all Arizona students eligible for vouchers — the cost of the program has surpassed expectation. Hobbs’ office estimated in July that vouchers could cost the state nearly $1 billion this fiscal year.
Democrats have argued the state can’t afford the ballooning cost of the program as Arizona faces a $400 million budget deficit.
Hobbs tried, but failed, to scale back universal expansion of vouchers in 2023. Now, many of Hobbs’ proposals aim to ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent appropriately.
That includes requiring the Arizona Department of Education to manually approve all voucher purchases exceeding $500, and giving the Auditor General more oversight of private school spending.
“The ESA program lacks accountability and transparency,” Hobbs said in a press release. “With this plan, we can keep students safe, protect taxpayer dollars, and give parents and students the information they need to make an informed choice about their education.
Following reports that some Arizona private schools raised tuition by thousands of dollars following the expansion, Hobbs also wants to ban private schools that receive voucher money from increasing tuition at a rate higher than inflation.
The plan would also require that a student attended a public school for at least 100 days before they are eligible to receive voucher money.
Republican lawmakers have ardently opposed Democratic efforts to restrict the voucher since the 2022 expansion.
Ben Toma at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s 2023 awards ceremony
“My colleagues and I support your right to school choice and will defend it,” House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) told parents at a committee hearing in November. “And don’t be discouraged by the detractors … follow the rules, ignore the noise.”
But at least one of Hobbs’ proposals is already in place, said Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne.
Horne, a Republican, said the Department of Education already reviews all expenditures “regardless of amount.”
“In 2023, we rejected several thousand ESA applications for lack of adequate documentation and suspended almost 2,200 accounts totaling $21 million because the student was enrolled in a public school,” Horne said in a statement. “We’ve also rejected more than 12,000 ESA purchase order requests.”
Hobbs also proposed several changes to the voucher system to impose accountability measures on private schools that mirror existing rules for public schools.
That includes requiring teachers at private schools that receive voucher dollars to pass a fingerprint background check and meet minimum education standards, and requiring the Department of Education to publish graduation and absenteeism rates for those schools.
Hobbs’ plan would also require all private schools to provide services to ESA students with disabilities in line with those students’ individualized learning or Section 504 plans.
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PAGE, AZ (AZFamily) — A person accused of making terroristic threats toward a northern Arizona medical facility was arrested Friday morning.
Just after 10:30 p.m., police received a report of a person calling the facility and threatening to kill staff and Native Americans, according to the Page Police Department.
Authorities said staff placed the facility on lockdown until officers identified the suspect and arrested them outside their home.
The suspect was booked on charges of disorderly conduct, threatening and intimidating, and making terroristic threats. Police have not publicly identified the person.
“The Page Police Department is grateful for and supports the medical staff’s decision to put the medical facility into lockdown until the suspect was arrested and the situation was rendered safe,” the department said in a Facebook post.
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In these four-round projections, the Arizona Cardinals don’t get a tackle until the fourth round.
We are just days away from the 2026 NFL draft, and that means some final mock drafts. What direction will the draft take the Arizona Cardinals?
Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy put together a four-round mock draft for the Cardinals. They go defense early but rebuild the offense for 2026 and moving forward, including landing their potential franchise quarterback.
Cardinals 4-round mock draft
Here are the players in the first four rounds Popejoy projects for Arizona.
- Round 1: Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese
- Round 2: Alabama QB Ty Simpson
- Round 3: Clemson WR Antonio Williams
- Round 4: Florida OT Austin Barber
What we think of the picks
The Cardinals want to trade out of the third pick and draft a tackle, so not getting a tackle until Round 4 seems unlikely, although they did meet with Barber. They do have options at right tackle for 2026 already on the roster.
Reese would be a great pick if they don’t trade back, as they badly need pass-rushing help off the edge.
Drafting Simpson seems inevitable at this point, so it has to be in a mock draft, although the feeling is they will need to go up into Round 1 again to get him.
Williams has speed and is almost six feet tall, but he does have short arms.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Due to significant injuries to the CB position last year which includes a shoulder surgery for Terrion Arnold, the Lions CB position scored a 6/10 need on my Lions Defensive Draft Need Rankings. Thus, an early-round selection of a young, healthy prospect like Keith Abney would not come as a surprise. He enters the draft with very low medical concern level.
Here is the excerpt from my medical report on Keith Abney:
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Keith Abney, CB (21) – Arizona State
Projected round 2-3. #43 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.
Concern level 0/10
There is an isolated report of a hand injury but no corroborating information. Even if the hand injury is true, that’s of minimal to no long-term concern.
His availability in his final two seasons has been perfect. Overall, Abney appears to be medically clean and is at an excellent age.
He finished college with 6 INT and 21 PBU.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD
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