Patricia Levesque, CEO of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, issued the following statement on the signing of legislation allowing Navajo children to continue using an Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) to attend a school that fits their learning needs.
“Even as Arizona focuses on today’s serious challenges, earlier efforts on behalf of students have not been lost. In signing this legislation, Governor Doug Ducey is enhancing educational opportunities for Arizona’s Navajo families and giving them the ability to find a school that best fits their child’s needs.
“I applaud Governor Ducey, Senator Sylvia Allen and the Arizona Legislature for their leadership and sustained commitment to prioritizing the educational needs of Navajo students. Because of expanded opportunities, students will have the chance to continue learning in an uplifting and positive environment where they know they can excel.”
Patricia Levesque, ExcelinEd CEO
Senate Bill 1224 allows students participating in the ESA program to attend school in an adjoining state if that school is within two miles of the boundary of the reservation where the student lives. Adopted in 2011, Arizona’s ESA is the first program of its kind in the nation and serves 8,000 children.
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