(Phoenix, AZ) – The Phoenix New Times published an article on The LIBRE Institute’s efforts to educate the community on educational options in Arizona. The LIBRE Institute has been successful in helping to inform the community on options available through the education system in Arizona.
Two Schools of Thought: Arizonans Take Sides in Battle Over ESAs and the Future of Education
“Carlos Alfaro says he wishes ESAs had been available when he was a kid.
After his family immigrated to the United States from Guadalajara, Mexico, when he was in fifth grade, Alfaro says he had a hard time staying focused in his classes.
In high school, he was more interested in playing soccer and hanging out with his friends than learning algebraic formulas. Algebra, it turned out, would be his foe for life.
***
“There’s not one way to do education, and if we are stuck with a one-size-fits-all system, that is not going to be beneficial to our kids,” Alfaro says. “It didn’t work for me … I’m trying to show people they have options if something’s not working for their kids.”
“I’d think we can all agree that we should invest in our kids’ education,” Alfaro says. “It really shouldn’t matter about institutions or a particular educational option. It’s about if the kid is actually learning.”
***
Until last year’s legislative session, ESAs were only available to a small demographic of kids such as low-income children, those with disabilities, military families, and siblings of students who qualified.
But legislators like Senator Debbie Lesko, who sponsored the universal voucher bill that ultimately passed in May, wanted to increase the number of children who could use an ESA to accommodate their education, whether they used it on private school tuition, books, or even equine therapy.
For interviews with a representative from The LIBRE Institute, please contact Brian Faughnan, 202-805-1581 or Wadi Gaitan, 202-853-4463
###
