This week, Congress passed President Trump’s budget, which imposes sweeping cuts to public services that will have dramatic negative impacts on Arizona families, students, and public schools — all in service of tax cuts for the ultra-rich.

😡 Federal vouchers: The approved budget contains a sweeping new version of the federal voucher program which is incredibly fiscally irresponsible and broad, taking the cap off of the previous House version to raise the cost by tens of billions a year. ITEP (Institution on Taxation and Economic Policy) has published a new analysis estimating the cost of the newly passed federal voucher program could be over $50 billion per year. As a reference, IDEA is funded at $13 billion and Title I is funded at roughly $18 billion 🤯🤯🤯

The budget creates an unprecedented, dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit designed to support private and religious K-12 schools. The credit would fully reimburse any and all donors for the first $1,700 they give to groups that hand out tuition vouchers to attend private schools (called STOs in Arizona). As the ITEP report states, “There is no other cause—not children’s hospitals, veterans’ groups, or disaster relief—that taxpayers can contribute to and see the entire cost of their contribution bankrolled by the federal government.”

According to ITEP, “Ultimately, the true cost of the program will be determined in large part by how effective the private schools and their proponents are in encouraging voucher supporters to contribute. It is likely that the [Besty] DeVos family, for instance, will invest considerable resources into raising awareness of this tax credit. It is also possible that a cottage industry focused on securing additional donations in return for a finder’s fee could crop up.” 

We are extremely grateful to Senator Mark Kelly and Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari for speaking out against this scheme to dismantle public education. We are working with groups across the country to push back on this horrific policy aimed to guide the dismantling of public education across the states.

Congress Slashes Medicaid Funding & SNAP Benefits: Medicaid cuts will significantly harm public schools by reducing funding for crucial health and support services, potentially leading to staff reductions, increased costs, and decreased academic outcomes for students. In Arizona, Medicaid cuts will likely impact the availability of school nurses, mental health professionals, and resources for students with disabilities, affecting the overall quality of education and student well-being.

Medicaid provides $7.5 billion per year to deliver access to the physical and mental health services nearly 30 million students in public schools need to excel academically.

Cuts to SNAP will negatively impact public schools by reducing access to free and reduced-price meals, potentially increasing food insecurity among students, and disrupting school meal programs. SNAP provides crucial support for low-income families, and cuts can lead to a decrease in students eligible for automatic enrollment in free school meals, requiring more applications and potentially increasing school meal costs. 

From Page to Power: A Justice-Focused Book Club by Save Our Schools Arizona Network! Join us virtually on Sunday, July 13 and August 10 from 3:00-4:00 pm over Zoom to discuss our next read “Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy” by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad! No pressure to finish the book—come for the conversation. Let’s read, reflect, and build power for Arizona’s public schools! Sign up to get the zoom info!

Help Voters on Wednesdays all Summer! Want to help voters who are at risk of being kicked off the voter rolls? Join us for a virtual phone bank every Wednesday from 4-5:30 pm and help voters get re-registered! Training is provided — all experience levels are welcome!

Join our Deep Canvassing Team! Learn all about deep canvassing and how to have meaningful conversations with swing voters. Deep canvassing focuses on listening and connecting with voters to understand their concerns, questions and perspectives on public education. Our Knock & Talk Deep Canvasses are off and running! Sign up for one of our interactive virtual trainings so you can be part of this incredible team of changemakers.

Get to Know Like-Minded Neighbors! Get the latest education news at the local, state and national levels alongside other public school supporters in your community! Regional virtual Community Action Team (CAT) Chats occur regularly. Check out our events page to find one in your region!

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