Tag: Arizona teacher shortage
After two years, measure taxing the wealthy to fund education is on the ballot. See more state education news here
Arizona voters will finally have the chance to weigh in on the so-called “Invest in Ed” ballot measure this November after the Arizona Supreme Court knocked it off the ballot two years ago.
Teachers unions and education advocates are campaigning hard for Proposition 208, which they say will help address Arizona’s teacher shortage. The measure aims to make up for lagging state funding with a tax on the wealthy.
If voters approve the measure, high earners would see a 3.5 percentage point increase on their income tax starting next year. The tax would apply to income over $250,000 for a single person or married person filing separately, and to income over $500,000 for a married couple or someone filing as head of household.
Why schools are ransomware targets. See more state education news here
Hackers used to focus their ransomware attacks primarily on taking money from corporations’ deep pockets, but they’ve recently been targeting schools and municipalities.
“Why is that so? Well, you possess an enormous amount of personal data – birthdates, social security numbers, direct deposit, banking information, credit card information – all of that you have about not only your employees, but your students and their parents,” said Rob Haws, a partner at Gust Rosenfeld PLC law firm, who specializes in education law and labor and employment.
Arizona lawmakers urged to approve $56M for child care for needy families. See more state education news here
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is urging lawmakers to approve a plan to put $56 million toward expanding child care assistance for thousands of children.
In a (Jan. 16) announcement, the governor’s office said half of the funds would go toward expanding the number of parents eligible to receive those subsidies, impacting an estimated 5,100 children.
The other half would be put toward increasing the average monthly child care subsidy rate by as much as 17 percent. That would affect about 39,000 children.
Report shows lots of teaching job vacancies, uncertified teachers. Please see related stories here
A new report shows that nearly 2,000 teaching positions in Arizona remain vacant four months into the school year.
And 866 have quit since August or just never showed up.
The survey of 172 districts and charter schools also found that more than 3,400 teaching positions that schools had hoped to fill this year are being staffed by individuals not meeting standard teaching requirements. That includes not just individuals who are awaiting certification but also student teachers, those with emergency certification and those who are teaching interns while pursuing alternate methods of certification.
Arizona Teacher Shortage Worsens. Please see related stories
Arizona schools have already seen over 500 teachers leave after the first month of the school year. Potential educators have been vocal about concerns over low wages, heavy work loads, and poor treatment of teachers. Sydney Teeman, NAU secondary education student, explains that we have nothing without teachers.
Despite concern of future teachers Ramona Mellott, Dean for NAU College of Education, has seen a positive side effect of the problem. The state is still short 1300 teachers for the school year, causing an increase in job offers for recent education graduates.
Arizona struggles to combat teacher shortage
Teachers are leaving their jobs in Arizona faster than they can be replaced, according to a Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association survey conducted the end of 2016.
But why are our teachers quitting?
“I think we just don’t prioritize public education,” said Julie Bacon, president of the Arizona School Board Association.
AZ educators get creative in finding solutions to growing teacher shortage
Suzanne Zentner stood in front of the high school students and their parents gathered in the library of Gilbert High School on a recent evening and got right to the point.
“Instead of dancing around issues, I’m going to find the elephant in the room, and I’m going to hit it,” Zentner told them. “The biggest myth out there, and I’m going to challenge that myth, is that there is no way you can make a living as a teacher.”
The crowd had gathered because the students had expressed interest in teaching. They are taking part in Aim2Teach, a program aimed at identifying students who may want to teach and helping guide them into professional teaching programs.
ASU alleviates physics teacher shortage, strengthens STEM pathway
Seventy high school physics and chemistry teachers enhanced their teaching skills at Arizona State University over the summer. Most teach in Arizona public schools, but several came from other states and four were sent by the Ministry of Education in Singapore. …
Nearly 1,000 Arizona teachers have taken the workshops, benefiting 100,000 Arizona students annually in school districts across the state. Beyond helping teachers engage students, the program addresses the systemic shortage of physics teachers in Arizona.
Opinion: Stopping Arizona’s teacher shortage
When your state’s teacher shortage makes national headlines, you know that something’s wrong …. Specifically, we must recognize that our teacher shortage is due, in part, to the fact that the vast majority of our high-school graduates, particularly those from poor and minority communities, aren’t earning four-year college degrees.
AZ teacher shortage: Education advocates say better pay, more respect deserved
By Expect More Arizona Our President & CEO, Pearl Chang Esau, spoke to Fox 10 News about Arizona’s teacher crisis. “I think that the big picture is making sure teachers feel that their profession is respected and that they’re being fairly compensated for the really hard work that they’re doing.” …Read the full article and […]
