Arizona's voucher program costs struggling district $20M as parents flee public schools

Tucson Unified School District TUSD based in Tucson Arizona is reportedly facing financial and enrollment struggles after universal school choice passed in the state in A TUSD official communicated KGUN that approximately students used vouchers to either go to private schools or homeschool The trend of parents overlooking TUSD cost the school district about million TUSD's Chief Financial Officer Ricky Hernandez explained the local outlet that TUSD is preparing for continued declines in enrollment as a aftermath of vouchers Vouchers are a form of school choice that allow parents to send their kids to schools outside their neighborhood or opt out of going to general school Arizona became the first state to offer universal school choice for all families in launching an million undertaking that gives parents to put toward their children's tuition Several other states followed indicating a trend of parents seeking alternative options to traditional masses schools TEXAS GOV ABBOTT SIGNS BILLION VOUCHER INITIATIVE INTO LAW CAPPING OFF WIN FOR SCHOOL CHOICE ADVOCATESParents use of school vouchers put the district s already debilitating enrollment in worse circumstances including impacting lecturer pay according to TUSD's chief financial officer The district cannot offer competitive pay to retain and recruit teachers due to the loss of money the district incurred Furthermore the district has had to implement budget reductions as a impact If those numbers aren t there then that certainly affects the number of teachers that we have how we can compensate them Hernandez explained to KGUN The president of the Tucson Development Association a local branch of the National Schooling Association warned that the loss of funds could lead to teachers leaving the district OHIO GRADUATE SAYS SCHOOL CHOICE EFFORT 'SAVED' HIS LIFE AS VOUCHERS BOOST GRADUATION RATES Having to look at 'do I stay in teaching How various other jobs do I have to keep this one ' Jim Byrne stated KGUN On the other hand the Vail Unified School District VUSD located in Vail Arizona is seeing the opposite The local outlet released on Tuesday an increase in enrollment over the last year More specifically the district s K- saw an increase of to students The VUSD superintendent John Carruth attributed the rise to the housing construction growing in the area Carruth added that their losses to school vouchers were offset by students leaving other inhabitants school districts to enroll in VUSD Reacting to the school district's difference in outcomes after the vouchers school choice advocates weighed in Certain school districts are better than others The best ones that are competitive don't have to worry as much about losing their customers Corey DeAngelis of the American Way of life Project stated to Fox News Digital Tuition plan analyst Jason Bedrick of the Heritage Foundation who is based in Arizona tracking agenda decisions in the state announced to Fox News Digital that TUSD has long had a reputation for poor quality despite spending more per pupil than the state average Only percent of TUSD students passed the state math exam last year well below both the state average percent and district with similar demographics percent The passing rate for TUSD students is not much better in English percent and even worse in science percent Bedrick revealed citing state details On http GreatSchools org parents also complain about chronic issues with discipline safety and school values he added to Fox News Digital New Hampshire is the latest state to pass universal school choice joining Arizona in responding to concerns of children being trapped in failing school districts The TUSD nor the VUSD right away responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment