Arizona: The Next Ten Years–Education and the Budget
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The Arizona Republic is running a series about the next decade in Arizona called Arizona 2020, A Framework for the Next Decade. The article focuses on six categories: Education, the Budget, the Border, the Government, the Economy and the Vision of AZ. Two of these categories – Education and the Budget – are of great interest to the Arizona Education Network.
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Education: “Arizona’s Great Paradox: Arizona has long been an innovator in charter schools and training teachers, but per-student funding is among the worst in the nation.”
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While Arizona has long been recognized as a pioneer in the area of school choice, public education has seen a steady decline in funding over the last 20 years. According to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC), Arizona, an equalized funding state, spent 69.3% of its General Funds in the fiscal year 1978-1979 budget. However, in fiscal year 2008-2009, this percentage has declined to 55.5% of the General Fund. (Current appropriations to public education are estimated at about 46% of the General Fund due to recent cuts.)
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Voices: The Republic solicited opinions from five education stakeholders in answering the question, ” What would you like to see happen to improve education?” February 12, 2010
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Action Plans: The Republic looked at three areas of potential reform. These included, Merit Pay: Rewarding Good Teachers Pays Dividends; Higher Standards: Standard for AIMS Test Must Be Raised; and Data Tracking: We Can Track Student Progress–Let’s Do it.
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News Report: Journalist Pat Kossen analyzed differences in student achievement between Arizona and Massachusetts. While Arizona students were able to get jobs in construction, real estate, sales, retails and trade without a great deal of educational training; Massachusetts students needed to acquire the academic skill necessary to work in research, academia, technology and medicine–the areas that have powered the Massachusetts economy. Read the full article: All in Arizona Must Play a Role to Better Education.
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Six Leaders, Six Visions: The Republic asked five leaders in Arizona about the state of education and former Governor Jeb Bush to talk about the Florida vision for education.
Don Budinger: Chairman of Rodel Foundations
Arizona Needs the Will to Improve Education, February 12, 2010
Ernest Calderon: President, Arizona Board of Regents
Just As In Past, Arizona Should Set Education As Top Priority, February 12, 2010
Marjorie Kaplan: Director, Beat the Odds Institute
Principals Key to Beating Odds, February 12, 2010
Jeb Bush: Former Governor of Florida
Success in Florida Schools: Reforms, Refusal to Accept Excuses for Not Learning Play Major Roles, February 12, 2010
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Debate: President of the Arizona Education Association John Wright and school-choice proponent and former senior policy adviser to the John McCain 2008 Presidential Campaign Lisa Graham Keegan, debate the best way to educate Arizona’s kids.
A Debate on How Best to Educate Arizona’s Kids, February 23, 2010
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Budget: “Financial House Needs Repairs: The state should sharpen it’s basic financial tools. We need a strategic plan that includes a long-term financial outlook.”
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Arizona is an equalized funding state, which means we use funding formulas to insure that our local property taxes are distributed more evenly to schools throughout the state. State revenue (such as the percentage our schools currently receive from sales tax revenue) and local revenue (property taxes, etc) are combined to provide funding to our public schools.
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Thus, when we discuss education funding, it must be closely associated with the state budget and the general fund. Our state is in a massive deficit, and an overhaul on our tax structure is needed to stabilize revenues.
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Voices: The Republic solicited opinions from five community members in answering the question, ” What is the most creative idea you have for the Legislature to balance the budget?” February 19, 2010
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Action Plans: The Republic looked at three areas of interest in balancing the state budget. These included, Revenue & Spending: Revenue and Spending Must Line Up; Revenue Structure: Today’s Revenue Structure is Volatile; and Rainy-Day Fund: Don’t Starve Arizona’s Rainy-Day Fund.
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News Report: Journalist Ronald Hansen gives an in-depth accounting of how Arizona has come to be at it’s largest deficit in its history, and suggestions on how to approach rectifying the shortfall. Read the full article: Stable Arizona Budget Requires Sacrifice.
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Four Leaders, Four Visions: The Republic asked four leaders in Arizona about the state of the budget.
George Cunningham: Cunningham Consulting Group
State Budget Torn Between Two Ideologies, February 19, 2010
Mark Killian: Former House Speaker
How to Craft a Budget without Rancor, February 12, 2010
Alan Maguire: The Maguire Co.
Arizona Must Change the Way It Manages Its General Fund, February 12, 2010
Kevin McCarthy: Arizona Tax Research Association
Cuts Must Be Made Before Any Tax Hikes, February 12, 2010
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