Tag: arizona school boards association
Community partnerships, early education and STEAM make Laguna Elementary an A+ School (+ Video, podcast, slideshow)
Community partnerships, a focus on early learning and an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics have helped make Laguna Elementary School a success, said Dr. Kathleen Root, retiring principal of the Scottsdale school recently awarded the A+ School of Excellence Award for the fourth time from the Arizona Educational Foundation.
Statewide news: A parents’ guide for what to expect during the teacher walk-out
Why are teachers walking out of school?
A majority of teachers voted to walk-out of classrooms to protest low teacher pay and per-pupil funding said leaders of Arizona Educators United and Arizona Education Association during a press conference on Thursday, April 21.
Recording: Key lobbyist opposed voucher-program accountability, touted financial benefit. See related stories here
One of Arizona’s most influential lobbyists spoke candidly to private school allies last winter about her goals for last year’s expansion of the state’s controversial school voucher-style program.
The program should come with as little student accountability as possible, with schools not required to report their students’ test scores to the state, Cathi Herrod, Center for Arizona Policy president, told those on the conference call. And private schools could get $4,500 per student to expand their schools — or create new campuses, she suggested. …
Asked Monday about her remarks, Herrod said she was upset they had been recorded “without my knowledge” and shared with The Republic. “To use this recording of me in a private phone call with Christian school leaders as somehow being newsworthy at this point in time? I fail to see the news value,” she said.
Advocates urge legislators to make sustainable education funding a priority this session
Before the legislative session begins on Monday, Jan. 8, education advocates are urging legislators and the governor to back up their support for education with actions that increase school funding.
AZ Schools Now will present options legislators could choose to enact that would invest $1 billion back into K-12 public education to provide sustainable, permanent and equitable funding for public schools during a news conference at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Arizona State Capitol’s lawn in Phoenix.
Legislators’ priorities: Restoring funding for classroom resources, finding revenue streams
Restoring some of the nearly $1.5 billion cut from classroom resources for the past nine years will be a priority for some Arizona legislators when the new session starts in January, a difficult proposition given a projected deficit and a vow by the governor not to raise taxes.
“We need more resources, more funding. That funding needs to be sustained and predictable so that school districts can effectively plan from one year to the next and develop a salary compensation plan around what they know is coming instead of making cuts one year and giving a little bit back the next,” said Sen. Kate Brophy McGee, R-Phoenix (District 28). McGee was one of six Republican and Democrat legislators who spoke before a group of 300 public school leaders last month.
Special education funding gap squeezes Arizona classrooms (+ Infographic)
Underfunding of federally mandated special education services for public school students, coupled with a growing number of students with more severe disabilities, is straining general classroom spending in Arizona’s public schools.
The state’s formula funding for special education is now $79 million less than what district and charter schools spend to provide the services required under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, according to a recent analysis by Dr. Anabel Aportela, director of research for Arizona Association of School Business Officials and Arizona School Boards Association.
Statewide, special education expenditures exceed $1 billion and have increased 8 percent since 2013, Aportela said.
Schools raise funds, partner with community to ensure student activities continue
State funding cuts over the past 10 years have made fundraisers and partnerships with local businesses and community organizations essential for Arizona schools to provide students with access to extracurricular activities, which research shows keeps them engaged in learning.
Clubs, sports, music, arts, student community service organizations, field trips and before- and after-school activities tap in to students’ interests, are where they develop friendships, and “are all a vital piece to providing a well-rounded education,” said Tom Woody, superintendent of Bisbee Unified School District, which serves more than 770 students in southern Cochise County.
AZ school funding challenges and possible solutions (+ Infographic)
Arizona’s public K-12 schools have faced significant school funding challenges since the Great Recession in 2008, but recent legislation, voter-approved ballot measures and some possible solutions could help restore some of that funding.
Arizona led the nation with 36.6 percent in cuts to state per-pupil funding for public K-12 schools from fiscal years 2008 to 2014, forcing many schools to cut expenses and student programs and services, according to a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report “After Nearly a Decade, School Investments Still Way Down in Some States” released on Oct. 20, 2016.
In response to those cuts, Arizonans’ have voted to approve Prop. 123 to partially restore inflation funding and approved bond and override elections to increase local funding.
As session winds down, speaker withdraws controversial amendment impacting Prop. 123 funds (+Video). See related stories
Updated May 10, 2017 – House legislators recessed for lunch but will be returning this afternoon to Committee of the Whole and Final Readings on several items, which may include an amendment to Senate Bill 1156 that would violate the intent and spirit of Prop. 301 and the settlement agreement in Prop. 123.
Schools, education advocates sue State of Arizona over capital funding
Four Arizona public school districts and education advocates filed a lawsuit Monday against the State of Arizona and the School Facilities Board for inadequate capital funding after lawmakers cut $2 billion since 2009 from the funds schools use to maintain buildings, buses, textbooks and technology to balance the state budget.
“We’ve waited far too long for our policymakers to fund public education and unfortunately, we’re in a situation now that we can no longer be patient,” said Mike Barragan, associate superintendent of Glendale Elementary School District, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
