Arizona Families Use ESA Funds for Vacations, Investigation Finds

SAN DIEGO — Families in Arizona with Empowerment Scholarships are using education tax dollars to support vacations, including visits to SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo. This was revealed in a recent investigation by 12News I-Team.

The loophole exists within Arizona’s expanding ESA program, which is expected to cost $1 billion for about 90,000 students this school year. One organization, Love Your School, even provides guidance on how to utilize these funds.

State Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, D-Tucson, expressed disappointment regarding these findings. “We are cutting programs every single budget year, and yet people are going on our dime to the San Diego Zoo,” she said.

Love Your School recently hosted a webinar where parents learned ways to maximize their ESA funds, including how to pay for vacations. A speaker at the session mentioned that the zoo is considered an educational destination that is covered under ESA funds.

Jenny Clark, co-founder of Love Your School, has seen her salary rise significantly, reaching $102,000 annually, but did not respond to requests for comments from the media.

During the online session, parents were informed that ESA spending should relate to education but were encouraged to be inventive. “If you are going down to Mexico, you can find something educational down there,” one presenter stated.

A Facebook group for Arizona ESA parents shares tips on obtaining San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld tickets using ESA funds. The cost of these tickets ranges from $66 for the zoo to nearly $123 for SeaWorld.

ESA Director John Ward stated that such vacation expenses are legal as long as they are educationally justified. He emphasized that ESA allows families, who normally could not afford these outings, to experience educational opportunities.

While tickets to attractions are permissible, overnight accommodations and meals with ESA funds are not allowed. Tyler Carter, SeaWorld San Diego park president, noted that all activities at the park have educational elements.

However, a new policy implemented by the Department of Education allows for automatic approval of expenses under $2,000, causing concern among critics like Gutierrez. She warned, “You could pay for a $2,000 Amazon gift card and use it for whatever you want.”