Corey DeAngelis, School Choice Advocate for the Heritage Foundation, said on April 14 that Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that would have allowed the state to participate in a new federal school choice program. The statement was made in response to Hobbs’ action on the legislation, which had passed the Arizona House by a vote of 33 to 26 and the Senate by 16 to 11 during the legislative session. The measure targeted participation in a federal tax credit program for K-12 scholarship funding, according to DeAngelis in a post on X.
The issue is significant as many working families in Arizona are seeking alternatives due to low proficiency rates in core academic subjects among public school students. Arizona student assessment results show approximately 40 percent of students in grades 3 through 8 proficient in English language arts and 33 percent proficient in mathematics. These rates have stayed largely flat in recent years, leaving many working families in the state looking for stronger alternatives to assigned public schools, according to data from the Arizona Department of Education.
Third-grade reading proficiency stands at about 39 percent, while eighth-grade math proficiency reaches only 28 percent. These benchmarks fall below national averages and highlight ongoing challenges in public school performance for students from working families. Arizona families continue to seek greater flexibility in choosing educational settings that match their children’s needs, according to statewide progress reports.
DeAngelis said, “Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs just VETOED a bill to opt the state into Trump’s new school choice program. It passed the House 33–26. It passed the Senate 16–11. Katie Hobbs went to a private school,” according to his post on X following Governor Hobbs’ action on the bill.
The vetoed bill would have enabled individuals to receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for donations made to certified nonprofit scholarship-granting organizations regulated by the state. These organizations would distribute funds as scholarships covering qualified K-12 education expenses—including both public and private schooling costs—beginning in 2027, according to an announcement from the Arizona Department of Education.
DeAngelis serves as a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation and president of the Educational Freedom Institute. He focuses on policies that expand school choice and empower parents across income levels, emphasizing freedom for working families where public school outcomes lag, according to his profile at Heritage Foundation.
