From vouchers to federal funding, Ducey offers incentives to Arizona schools, parents to reject mask mandates

In the latest political volley in Arizona over COVID-19 mask mandates, Gov. Doug Ducey is creating two grant programs that would provide funds to families and school districts that reject mask mandates.

Those measures come amid growing pushback against a state law that prohibits mask mandates in Arizona schools.

In a series of news releases Tuesday, the Governor’s Office announced extra money for families affected by mask mandates, as well as a grant program only school districts that “follow all state laws” would be eligible for.

In both cases, districts with mask mandates could be affected — either because they could be ineligible for the district grants or if families use the funding to leave their district.

At least 14 Arizona school districts have implemented COVID-19 mask mandates since schools opened this year. Ducey has said those mandates are illegal, but a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled Monday that districts currently could require masks because the law does not take effect until Sept. 29.

Earlier this month, a group of Republican lawmakers asked Ducey to take tough action against school districts requiring face coverings in defiance of that law, including by withholding federal funding from school districts with mask mandates, authorizing temporary school vouchers for all students in those districts and initiating legal action against the districts.

However, another Republican lawmaker said expanding the controversial voucher program is something the Legislature would need to do, not the governor on his own.

On Tuesday, Republican lawmakers applauded the GOP governor's move.

"It's another great step in the right direction," said Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek. 

Hoffman authored the letter requesting Ducey to take action to prevent mask mandates and got 25 of his colleagues to sign on. 

Hoffman said more needs to be done, pointing to suggestions lawmakers made last week, such as withholding funding from schools that don't follow the pending anti-mask law. 

Senate President Karen Fann said she stands "100 percent" with Ducey.

"This is one step in going toward where we need to go," Fann, R-Prescott, said. While Arizona's school choice policies already provide options for parents to move their children to other schools or to home school, the Ducey plan provides funding to make it possible, she said.

School mask mandates:These metro Phoenix school districts require masks

Others were not so positive. State superintendent Kathy Hoffman called the plan an "outrageous attack on public education" and lamented that the governor had not learned last year's lessons of how to keep students safe under COVID-19.

"We need serious leaders to get our students and schools through the pandemic," she said. "That is woefully lacking from the ninth floor." 

House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding, D-Phoenix, accused Ducey of setting up a "Hunger Games" situation, where students and schools can choose between COVID protections or getting more funding in schools with looser COVID-19 protocols.

"With the delta variant running rampant and COVID-19 cases among children on the rise, it's disgusting to put a bounty on spreading this illness to kids and punishing schools that try to operate safely," Bolding said in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., was critical of Ducey's plan for spending federal coronavirus relief funding. He sent a letter Tuesday to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen asking her to make clear that the coronavirus relief funds should go to all schools.

"This deeply irresponsible plan appears to violate the plain language of the law as written by Congress as well as the guidance issued the by the Department of the Treasury," he wrote. "These funds are not intended to be used for policies that undercut scientific research to pursue purely partisan ideological priorities."

The Governor’s Office said Tuesday it will provide $10 million — up to $7,000 per student — to families affected by school mask mandates or quarantine measures. That money could pay for child care, transportation, online tutoring and even tuition.

School districts that “follow all state laws” and avoid closures of in-person instruction also will be able to apply for a per-pupil funding boost from $163 million of federal grant funding to be doled out at the discretion of the Governor’s Office.

That measure sets a deadline of Aug. 27 for schools to come into compliance with state law. The Governor’s Office has not commented publicly on Monday's ruling that the state law banning mask mandates has not yet gone into effect.

A school district that temporarily shuts down at the direction of a public health body or offers remote learning in addition to in-person learning won’t be disqualified from accessing the grant.

“This is nothing to do with punishing schools,” Ducey spokesperson C.J. Karamargin said. “This is all to do with rewarding those schools who are not putting additional mandates on the students they serve.”

That comes as the growing spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus has alarmed experts. The number of children hospitalized with COVID-19 in Arizona's largest health system doubled in July, and disease experts say face masks and more vaccine uptake is needed to protect the state's youngest residents. However, vaccines are only available to children 12 and older, leaving more than half of the school population without that particular defense.

In the news release Tuesday, Ducey said safety recommendations in schools were welcome and encouraged — but not mandates.

“Parents are in the driver’s seat, and it’s their right to make decisions that best fit the needs of their children,” he said.

The Governor's Office also said it will spend a portion of the federal relief funding on literacy programs, adult education and expansion of teacher professional development.

The Republic's Mary Jo Pitzl contributed to this article.

Reach the reporter at ykunichoff@arizonarepublic.com and follow her on Twitter @yanazure.

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