ESAs: Serving the Ruralest Communities in Arizona

Op-Ed by Denise Lever of Eagar, Apache County, Arizona, founder of Baker Creek Academy and the TrailblazED Microschool Leadership Forge — emphasizing the importance of ESAs in rural Arizona.

Too often, critics of Education Savings Accounts(ESA) paint ESAs as a perk for wealthy families. But in reality, ESAs are revitalizing education in some of the poorest and most rural communities in Arizona, places that have long struggled with limited educational choices and stagnant economies.

Baker Creek Academy is one example. In the small rural town of Eagar with few options, ESAs provided the opportunity to launch a microschool. What began with one school option has since grown into nine microschools, each founded by women determined to give their children and their communities opportunity. These schools are not only providing children with personalized learning, they’re fueling growth in local economies.

Small businesses are thriving as ESA vendors. Local instructors now offer piano, drama, Suzuki music lessons, and more through the microschool classes, right in the community. At Baker Creek Academy, the building itself has become a shared community hub, hosting homeschool graduations, providing tutoring for public school students, and even serving as the only place where pregnant women can access birthing classes because of a shortage of doctors in town.

Baker Creek Academy stands in sharp contrast to many public school districts across Arizona, where empty, unused buildings continue to drain taxpayer dollars. Every year, districts spend nearly $2 billion on capital and facilities; yet, much of that space sits idle. If these underutilized buildings were leased to private tenants, they could generate up to $2 billion annually in rental revenue while creating new opportunities for local communities. Instead, families see little benefit, and neighborhoods miss out on growth. Baker Creek Academy demonstrates what’s possible when microschools make their resources available to the people who need them the most.

The ESA program has made all of this possible. ESA empowers families to direct funds to education options that best serve their children, while also giving small businesses and entrepreneurs a reason to invest in their own towns. For rural Arizona, that’s not just good education policy, it’s smart economic policy.

However, for this progress to continue, ESAs must remain flexible. Families need the ability to choose from a variety of education service providers, and more providers should be encouraged to launch. This means policymakers should continue the original intent of the ESA program and keep the program free from unnecessary bureaucratic red tape which hurts students.

Baker Creek Academy is proof that ESAs aren’t just helping kids learn, they’re sparking local entrepreneurship, repurposing spaces for community good, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used more wisely than empty buildings. Instead of restricting ESAs, policymakers should double down on what’s working: trusting families.

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Denise Lever resides in Eagar, Apache County, Arizona, and is the founder of Baker Creek Academy and TrailblazED Microschool Leadership Forge. A former wildland firefighter and longtime homeschool mom, she now leads a growing network of self-directed microschools and mentors education founders nationwide. Denise is passionate about empowering learners, especially those who face challenges, and equipping others to build bold, personalized learning environments.