The short version: the ballot measure that would have rewritten Arizona's ESA program didn't make it to November. If you're on an ESA, nothing about your account changes because of this.
What happened
On August 18, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld a lower court's signature ruling that leaves the Protect Education Act roughly 10,000 valid signatures short of the 255,949 it needed. Chief Justice Ann Timmer wrote that the campaign couldn't point to specific evidence backing its argument that signatures had been subtracted twice. The measure is done for this election.
Had it passed, three things would have changed for ESA families:
- Unused ESA funds could no longer roll over indefinitely
- An income cap would have applied to who qualifies
- New academic and safety standards would have applied to alternative classrooms
None of that is happening this school year.
The court also struck down Proposition 145, the competing measure lawmakers put together on the last day of session. That one's gone too.
What it means for you
If you're already on an ESA: same rollover, same eligibility, same rules you signed your contract under. Nothing to do.
If you've been holding off on applying because you weren't sure the program would still be standing in the spring — it will be, at least through this school year.
What I'd still do is keep your records tight, and that has nothing to do with the ruling. Under the current parent handbook, the Department approves expenses that are "reasonably related to an educational or vocational purpose," weighed against your student's specific needs, how similar requests have been handled before, the primary purpose of the item, and whether the cost is in line with reasonable alternatives. ADE can ask for documentation on any expense, case by case. That's the standard whether or not anything's on a ballot.
So: keep your receipts, and be able to say in one plain sentence what a purchase is for and which student it's for. That one habit prevents most of the back-and-forth I hear about.
What I'm watching
Both sides said the same thing within hours of the ruling: this isn't over. The next real decision point is the 2027 legislative session, and what that session looks like depends on how November goes. Nothing to act on today. Just worth knowing it's on the calendar.
Otherwise, a quiet week
I didn't see any changes to the allowable expense categories, nothing new out of ClassWallet, and no movement on how online learning programs, educational software, or digital curriculum are treated. When something does move in those categories, it'll be at the top of this page.
*ArborSlate is ESA-eligible as an online learning program and digital curriculum, so for a lot of Arizona families it's something you can pay for with your ESA. As always, your state program and ADE make the final call on any individual expense — I can't promise you an approval, and you should be skeptical of anyone who does. This is one homeschool mom's plain-language roundup, not legal advice.*
*— Janae*