A huge expansion of Arizona's private school voucher system has taken effect allowing parents of all 1.1 million school-age children to use state tax money to pay for private school tuition and other costs.
The law went into effect Friday after the state's top election official confirmed that public school advocates failed to turn in enough signatures to block the law until the 2024 election.
The state now has the most far-reaching school voucher system in the nation. All parents are eligible to receive about $7,000 a year in state money that would normally go to their local public school.
Republicans who control the Legislature approved the plan touted by GOP Gov. Doug Ducey.
Public school advocates who oppose the expansion filed a petition to block it in July.