PHOENIX — Today, Arizona Education Association President Marisol Garcia released the following statement after Republican lawmakers ended the 2026 legislative session without renewing Prop 123, passing any meaningful reforms to Arizona’s scandal-plagued, billion-dollar voucher system, or making any serious new investments in education:
“Arizona students and public school families deserve better than the miserable failure we saw from Legislative Republicans this session. For the last four years, hard-working families have footed the bill for a fraud-ridden voucher program while public schools close and educators flee the classroom. Instead of investing in the 90% of Arizona children who attend public school, this year’s cowardly crop of Republican leaders attacked union educators, demonized vulnerable students, and made a mockery of their own public service.
“As a union, one of our core values is a willingness to negotiate with anyone and everyone in pursuit of the common good. In discussions with Republicans and Democrats alike, we were singularly focused on progress for our schools. Ultimately, the Republican Legislature was more interested in packing the November ballot with vicious, mean-spirited attacks on Arizona families than in making progress for our kids.
“When we launched the Protect Education Campaign in March, our goal was to implement the common-sense reforms voters demand and students deserve. We have invested millions of dollars toward that goal because it is a fight for the future of our students. That fight continues, and we will win it.
“Unions are the incarnation of a fundamentally American concept — working people coming together to stand in solidarity with each other. Republican lawmakers are welcome to put HCR 2040 on the ballot. Polling shows that we will beat it.”
Published: June 13, 2026