Governor’s Move to Shift School Board Focus

A public‑school advocate named Jenny Clark was taken off the State Board of Education when her term ended in January 2025. The change followed pressure from a lobbyist who works for an organization that opposes school choice. Clark had joined the board in 2022 after former Governor Doug Ducey appointed her. She leads a nonprofit that helps families find alternative schooling options and supports the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program. A lawyer from the group Save Our Schools Arizona sent an email to Governor Hobbs’ staff urging her to remove Clark before the board met about ESA rules. The email said Clark had not backed plans to curb what the lobbyist described as wasteful ESA spending. Other board members whose terms had also expired were allowed to stay on the panel, even though they did not face similar push‑back.The governor’s office said Clark was removed because she had opposed reforms to limit ESA costs and to stop purchases that the department later found were unallowed, such as travel and consumer goods. Clark said her removal felt political. She argued that the governor was following orders from groups that want to end school choice and tighten ESA limits. In March 2025, Governor Hobbs named a new board member to fill Clark’s seat. The appointment was supported by the state superintendent, who encouraged lawmakers to confirm it. The ESA program itself has been under scrutiny for spending irregularities. A department audit revealed that 20 percent of sampled voucher purchases were not permitted, including items like women’s underwear and travel expenses. Clark claimed her role was to represent the 100, 000 families that use ESA funds. She said the board should include voices from teachers and charter operators as well as parents who rely on ESA.