Grand Canyon Times

Matthew Ladner, Executive Editor of Next Steps, has highlighted a significant issue in Arizona's public school districts: the underutilization of capacity. He said that while these districts have space for 1.3 million students, they currently enroll only about 850,000. This information was shared in a post on X on April 8.

"AZ has district spaces for 1,300,000 students but 850,000 students," said Ladner, executive editor of NextSteps. "Underutilized space draws $ away from classroom use & a trickle of AZ districts have announced a handful of closures. Quick blame ESA! The King Kong of district enrollment loss comes from other public schools."

According to Ladner's post, enrollment trends in Arizona's largest districts indicate shifts driven by open enrollment and the Educational Scholarship Account (ESA) program. These trends reveal both gains from open enrollment and losses to other districts and charter schools. Ladner noted that many students utilizing ESAs reside within district boundaries but often did not attend them initially. Some transitioned from private schools or the private scholarship tax credit program, while others moved directly into the ESA program from charter schools, open enrollment districts, or out-of-state.

Ladner's post on X | X

Ladner emphasized the financial impact of these student transfers on district funding. He said that whether students move to other district schools, charter schools, the ESA program, or leave the state altogether, districts experience a similar loss in funding. This situation places strain on district schools facing declining enrollment.

The Arizona Republic reports a trend of declining student enrollment in Arizona's public school districts, leading to school closures and budgetary challenges. Factors contributing to this decline include lower birth rates, demographic shifts, and increased competition from charter schools and open enrollment policies. The Phoenix Elementary School District has responded by voting to close two schools and reduce staff positions to address an $8 million budget shortfall attributed to decreasing student numbers over the past decade.

Research conducted by the Common Sense Institute Arizona indicates that the state's school-age population peaked in 2021 and is projected to decrease by 40,000 by 2028.

Ladner is recognized as an expert in school choice, charter schools, and special education reform according to Next Steps blog. His work has been featured in several journals including Education Next and The British Journal of Political Science. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a master's degree and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Houston, he resides in Phoenix with his wife and three children.