PHOENIX — Mesa Public Schools, which is experiencing declining enrollment and the state dollars that go with those kids, has found a new source of money from an unlikely source: Empowerment Scholarships.

Mesa has joined thousands of other vendors to accept education vouchers as Arizona's rapidly expanding ESA program continues to grow, and public school districts are losing students.

“We have about 4,000 parents in the Mesa Public Schools boundaries who take advantage of ESAs," said Mesa Superintendent Matt Strom. "What we want them to know is that there’s a place for them within Mesa Public Schools to use their dollars in an a la carte fashion that they can service the learning needs of their children.”

Mesa for nearly 30 years has welcomed home-school kids into the district even thoug

See Full Page