Arizona Supreme Court: State School Choice Program Is Constitutional
Court’s Stance a Big Victory for Disadvantaged Children
Contact: Andrew Campanella
Director of Communications Phone: 202-280-1985 Mobile: 202-276-1303
10/28/2009
(Washington, D.C., October 28, 2009)—Arizona’s Corporate School Tuition Organization Tax Credit Program is constitutional, the Arizona Supreme Court indicated in a decision yesterday. The Alliance for School Choice and Advocates for School Choice applauded the Arizona Supreme Court’s action, which denied a request to hear an appeal of the March 2009 decision in Green v Garriott—a decision that upheld the program’s constitutionality. The scholarship tax credit program provides increased educational opportunities to 1,947 disadvantaged children throughout the Grand Canyon State.
Green v Garriott was originally filed in September of 2006 by the Arizona School Boards Association and the American Civil Liberties Union.
“This action by the state Supreme Court marks the end of a long legal battle and demonstrates a clear victory for school choice in Arizona,” said Betsy DeVos, Chairman of the Alliance for School Choice and Advocates for School Choice. “Most importantly, this decision is a victory for low-income children in Arizona and for parents who seek to choose the best schools for their children.”
Yesterday’s decision marks the second time that the state’s highest court has affirmed that the corporate school tuition organization tax credit is constitutional.
The Institute for Justice successfully defended the program on behalf of the Arizona School Choice Trust, a nonprofit school tuition organization (STO) that receives contributions to fund private school scholarships for low-income children.
More than 16 STOs are operating under the Corporate School Tuition Organization Tax Credit, and 156 schools accept students who receive scholarships from the program.
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The Alliance for School Choice and Advocates for School Choice work to promote public policy advancing school choice and education reform in numerous states throughout the country, as well as in the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.AllianceForSchoolChoice.org
