Steve Cortes, President of the League of American Workers, has expressed concerns over families leaving failing schools for alternatives and criticized a system that he says sidelines parents. This statement was made during an interview.
“Far too many American families, they are trapped, quite literally trapped in failing and in even abusive school systems,” said Cortes. “Parents have been told that education is simply not their expertise, and to kindly butt out of it. Those same kids are from the same neighborhoods that are going to a nearby school like Manley. When you look at those schools that are really empty because parents have chosen something else.”
Arizona’s school choice debate has intensified in Phoenix as universal education savings accounts (ESAs) expand, while traditional districts experience declining enrollment. According to The Washington Post, Roosevelt Elementary School District is one example where school closures have occurred amid falling numbers. Analysts note that enrollment was already decreasing before the introduction of vouchers, suggesting broader demographic and performance pressures.
Arizona has experienced a steady migration from traditional public schools to voucher and charter alternatives. FutureEd reports that Mesa Unified School District, the state’s largest, lost 1,600 students to ESA programs since 2017, including 400 in the most recent year alone. This trend reflects the broader statewide impact of Arizona’s universal ESA expansion.
Roosevelt Elementary School District in Phoenix has seen its enrollment drop from approximately 10,500 students in 2010 to just over 7,000 by 2023. This decline has led to the closure of nearly one-third of its schools. Analysts attribute this trend to declining population figures, low performance levels, and competition from charter and voucher schools. These details were reported by The Washington Post.
Cortes is a political commentator and strategist who served as a senior adviser on Donald Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns, leading Hispanic outreach efforts. He previously worked in global finance and as a television analyst on CNBC, CNN, Fox News, and Newsmax. Currently, Cortes leads the League of American Workers as president and also advises CatholicVote.
