The state Court of Appeals on Tuesday unanimously upheld a lower court ruling affirming the constitutionality of a program that directs public money to private bank accounts to pay for private school tuition and educational services for some students. The Arizona School Boards Association and other groups sued to block the program, saying that it violated the state's Constitution because it directed private funding to religious schools, among other arguments. The appeals court ruled that the program, designed by the Goldwater Institute, a conservative group, "expands the options to meet the individual needs of children." Open to special-needs students at first, the program is available to one in five public school students in the state.

First Published: October 2, 2013, 10:00 p.m.