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Far-Right Private Schools Cash In on AZ Vouchers
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This week, longtime Arizona reporter Dillon Rosenblatt pulled together shocking data on how ESA vouchers are being spent on far-right private schools. We are excerpting here, but you can access the full report here [[link removed]] . [[link removed]]
🙄 If only someone would’ve warned them: As the report states, “When Arizona lawmakers opened the [ESA voucher program universally] to every child in 2022, critics warned [[link removed]] that the $7,000 per-student vouchers would funnel public money into private religious and politically connected schools.”
“And here’s the irony: the same movement crying “indoctrination” in public schools and pushing book bans is now cashing millions in public money to run explicitly Christian, politically aligned academies… Arizona parents may think they’re choosing a school. In reality, they’re also subsidizing a political project.”
🏫 Millions for extremist indoctrination: Now, new records show two schools with far-right extremist roots — Dream City Christian and Tipping Point Academy — are cashing in big time from the unaccountable, unregulated voucher program designed to privatize public schools. Dream City Christian School in Glendale (affiliated with Dream City Church, famous for its pro-Trump Freedom Night rallies [[link removed]] , and Turning Point USA [[link removed]] ) has more than doubled its voucher income — from about $941,000 in 2023 to $1.5 million in 2024 and now already clearing $2 million in 2025. With high school tuition at over $14,500 [[link removed]] , vouchers cover some costs but price out lower-income families. It’s worth noting that Turning Point USA announced the opening of the school [[link removed]] just weeks after then Gov. Ducey forced through universal voucher expansion in 2022 to “combat woke curriculum” and disallow "radical LGBT agendas" and "anti-American ideas such as the 1619 Project.” The school’s faculty and students must sign on to an anti-LGBTQ Statement of Faith [[link removed]] which declares there are only two genders and marriage is between a man and a woman.
According to the report, Tipping Point Academy in Scottsdale also launched as the state legislature universally expanded universal vouchers, and has snowballed its ESA voucher revenue from nearly $200,000 in 2023 to almost $500,000 this year. The school’s owner says the goal is to open 100 campuses over the next decade. The school is run by the Great State Alliance [[link removed]] , whose mission is for “like minded conservatives” to use “faith, family, and freedom” to “restore businesses, schools, and churches in our communities.” The school uses a curriculum called The Noah Plan , which weaves the Bible into every subject.
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🧊 Tip of the iceberg: These are just two examples of schools among hundreds, if not thousands, of similar operations that are siphoning hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into unaccredited, unregulated private schools that can teach whatever they wish without any oversight as part of the state’s universal voucher program. As the report notes, “For families, voucher[s] may look like scholarships. For schools, they function as guaranteed public funding with minimal oversight… state officials rarely audit voucher purchases, and broad definitions of ‘educational expenses’ allow for everything from private tuition to luxury items.”
READ THE FULL WEEKLY EDUCATION REPORT HERE [[link removed]]
LEA EL SEMANARIO EN ESPAÑOL [[link removed]]
Take Action!
👀 Speaking of indoctrination: The Trump administration’s US Dept. of Education (US ED) has announced [[link removed]] a new MAGA-driven “patriotic education” curriculum [[link removed]] initiative that it plans to force into classrooms across America. According to the New York Times, “The Trump administration announced on Wednesday the launch of a civics education coalition that includes the Education Department and more than 40 partner groups, all of which are closely aligned with the president’s MAGA movement [[link removed]] … Earlier this week, the Trump administration redirected $137 million from programs for minorities and teacher training [[link removed]] to spend on American history and civics education, which was in addition to $23 million that Congress had previously authorized. US ED says it will provide discretionary grants to schools that promote ‘patriotic’ education.”
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The extremist, far-right groups in Trump’s civics coalition [[link removed]] include America First Legal , a group founded by the architect of Mr. Trump’s policy agenda, Stephen Miller, and the Heritage Foundation , which oversaw Project 2025. Others include Moms for Liberty (designated as an "anti-government extremist" group [[link removed]] by the Southern Poverty Law Center) which has helped shape Trump’s education agenda, and Turning Point USA [[link removed]] .
There is only one month for public comment, so we must speak up NOW.
Use our easy email tool to send a message to AZ members of Congress and the US Dept. of Education 👉 bit.ly/NoCivicsTakeover [[link removed]]
SEND AN EMAIL - NO CIVICS TAKEOVER [[link removed]]
👉 Then ALSO submit a comment on the federal register HERE [[link removed]] .
😡Federal Trump Budget Slashes Title I Funding: The US House Appropriations Committee voted to approve Trump’s federal 2026 budget bill, which includes massive, devastating cuts to local public schools [[link removed]] across the country.
Unlike the Senate version, which did not cut K-12 funding, the House version slashes $12 billion in school spending [[link removed]] (a 15% cut) — including $4.7 billion in cuts to Title I, [[link removed]] which funds the nation’s most vulnerable students, constituting a 27% cut to low-income students. Democrats offered amendments to restore the proposed $4.7 billion Title I cut, but all Republicans rejected them.
🚨There’s Time to Stop These Cuts! The House and the Trump administration's proposed $12 billion in cuts to public education [[link removed]] would be a devastating blow to America’s students. We must all speak up and demand that Congress reject these cuts and protect our children’s futures. Find out how much YOUR school district stands to lose! [[link removed]]
👉Use our one-click email and call tools to tell Arizona’s members of Congress to STOP K-12 education cuts TODAY!
SEND AN EMAIL - STOP K12 CUTS [[link removed]]
CALL YOUR REPS - STOP K12 CUTS [[link removed]]
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2025 Elections Spotlight
Many Arizona school districts have critical elections on the ballot in 2025 [[link removed]] — and we need you to get involved to spread the word to vote YES! Across Arizona, 35 different school districts are going out for special bond, override, and budget increase measures to ensure local funding for schools so that students and educators can have the resources they need to be successful and safe.
In many areas, these special elections are “mail only,” meaning your ballot will come in the mail , and you should return your ballot by Oct. 28 to make sure it counts! We encourage you to Vote YES on all school funding measures! Arizona students and educators are counting on you.
sosarizona.org/vote-yes-2025 [sosarizona.org/vote-yes-2025]
Find out if YOUR local school district will have a school Bond or Override measure on their ballot here 👉 sosarizona.org/vote-yes-2025/ [[link removed]]
LOOK UP BOND & OVERRIDE ELECTIONS [[link removed]]
Join Us!
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💥☎️ Register Voters on Thursdays! Want to help new voters? Join us [[link removed]] for a virtual phone bank every Thursday from 4-5:30 pm to help voters get registered! Training is provided — all experience levels are welcome!
REGISTER HERE [[link removed]]
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💥📲 Help Call Young Voters! Join a coalition of Arizona youth organizations to make critical calls to Gen-Z voters! From voter registration to bond & override elections, we will be engaging young voters from across the state. No experience necessary, all training will be provided. Join us Wednesdays via Zoom. Register to make a difference and share with your friends!
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💥💻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.
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💥📚 From Page to Power: A Justice-Focused Book Club by Save Our Schools Arizona Network! Join us virtually on Sundays, October 19 & November 16 from 4-5 pm to discuss “The Privateers:: How Billionaires Created A Culture War and Sold School Vouchers” [[link removed]] by Josh Cowen! No pressure to finish the book — just come for the conversation. Let’s read, reflect, and build power for Arizona’s public schools! Sign up to get the Zoom info!
🎉 EXCITING news 🎉 The author, Dr. Josh Cowen, will attend the Oct. 19th meeting to launch the book club discussion — sign up [[link removed]] ASAP as space will be limited!
REGISTER HERE [[link removed]]
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Contact Us
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