Dear Legacy Learning Community Families,

I’m writing to share some important context about Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program and why your voice matters in the months ahead.

For many of our families, the ESA program has become foundational to how your children learn and grow. It gives you the ability to choose the educational setting that best fits your child’s unique needs—not a one-size- fits-all approach. For many students with disabilities in particular, ESA funding has opened doors to specialized instruction, therapies, smaller class sizes, and individualized support that simply weren’t accessible before.

Thousands of Arizona families depend on this flexibility every day.

What the ESA program looks like in the future will be decided by Arizona voters this November. This isn’t a decision being made behind closed doors by legislators—it will be made by your friends, neighbors, and fellow community members.

It is worth noting that voters may see more than one ESA-related measure on the November ballot, and the details of each will become clearer in the weeks ahead. What we do know is that the people deciding this program’s future may include many who have never met a family like yours, never seen the difference ESA has made in a child’s life, and may not fully understand what the program actually does. Depending on the outcome, families could see effects such as:
– Changes to eligibility requirements that affect who qualifies
– Reduced funding that could make specialized services less affordable
– New regulations or administrative requirements that add complexity for families
– General uncertainty that makes long-term educational planning harder

We share this not to alarm you, but so you are informed and can decide whether and how you want to engage
before voters head to the polls.

Because this will be decided by voters rather than policymakers, the most effective advocacy isn’t a letter to a legislator—it’s a conversation with the people around you. Most voters have never experienced what ESA has meant for a family like yours, and many have only heard secondhand talking points, not real stories. You have the chance to change that. Consider:
– Talking with friends and neighbors about your experience
– Sharing your child’s educational journey in your own words
– Writing a letter to the editor of your local paper
– Attending community forums where this issue is being discussed
– Having respectful conversations that help others understand why educational choice has mattered to your family

Statistics inform policy, but personal stories move people—especially people who are about to decide something at the ballot box without firsthand knowledge of what’s truly at stake. Your story could be the thing that helps a neighbor understand what this program really means.

This isn’t a partisan issue for us, and we don’t want it to become one for you. At its core, this is about something most people agree on regardless of political viewpoint: every child deserves access to an educational environment where they can thrive. Student success, parental choice, individualized education, opportunity, and hope—these are values that resonate broadly, and we encourage you to keep that framing front and center if you choose to speak up.

Whatever Arizona voters decide in November, please know this: our commitment to your child does not change. Legacy Learning Community will continue to advocate for students while providing your child with exceptional educational opportunities. Thank you for trusting us with your child’s education.

With gratitude and commitment,

Shad Housley
CEO, Legacy Learning Community