Tristan John-Jandles is an honors pre-law junior at Grand Canyon University, where he is committed to exploring the intersection of law and education administration. Tristan is passionate about enhancing education in Arizona as he firmly believes that every individual deserves access to quality education. He is deeply appreciative of the Arizona Alliance for Black School Educators (AzABSE) for their advocacy and commitment to uplifting Black communities.
Universal ESAs, Explained
This presentation serves as a concise overview of the background of the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) school voucher program, what research shows about its likely impact on academic outcomes and classroom diversity, and what actions can be taken to create equitable school choice ecosystems and educational excellence. The presentation begins with a background of the two school voucher programs in Arizona: Empowerment Scholarship Accounts and School Tuition Organization scholarships (STOs). Clarity is provided on the different types of eligibility for these programs and the statistics for current program operations. Next, the design, implementation, and impact of the ESA program is expanded upon, with the implications regarding academic outcomes, classroom diversity, accountability requirements, public benefit, and impact on school choice examined. This is followed by a short explanation of the current state of the ESA program. Finally, policy solutions and action items for parents/educators are discussed.