Jenny Clark, a member of the Arizona State Board of Education, has suggested that school districts should lease or sell unused buildings to community groups and private schools. This proposal aims to alleviate financial strain and better serve families.
“Public schools have a fantastic opportunity to lease and sell empty buildings to community organizations and new school options and private schools looking for facilities,” said Clark, Co-Founder. “A district that respects the community and taxpayers doesn’t hold to empty stuff at their expense.”
Arizona’s public school enrollment has seen a decline in several districts, resulting in many campuses being partially or fully unused. According to education advocates, leasing or selling these facilities could support the growth of charter and private schools while reducing maintenance costs for taxpayers.
Between 2002 and 2023, national public school debt increased from $8,074 to $12,592 per student in inflation-adjusted terms, reaching a total of $586 billion. Analysts have attributed this rise to declining enrollment, deferred maintenance, and ongoing capital project financing.
The state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program has expanded access to educational choice by allowing families to use state funds for tuition, materials, and alternative education models. By 2025, participation in the program is expected to reach over 80,000 students statewide.
Clark is also the founder and executive director of Love Your School, a nonprofit organization that promotes education freedom and parental choice in Arizona. As a mother of five children herself, she advocates for access to quality learning environments that best meet family needs.
