Sign up for our Email Newsletter For Email Newsletters you can trust . . . FACTS ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING IN ARIZONA It’s the 2010 voting season! Steer clear of the misinformation campaigns. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with some quick facts on public education funding prior to the November 2 general election. . . [...]
Arizona voters will face tough decisions in the voting booth for the general election this November 2, 2010. AEN would like to make sure voters have all the facts on Proposition 302. The bill passed by the legislature in the 2010 seventh special session by a vote of 48 to 41 refers Proposition 302 to the ballot on November 2. If passed, Proposition 302 will repeal the Arizona Early Childhood and Development Initiative, commonly known as First Things First. The First Things First program is financed by a 2006 voter-approved tax on tobacco to provide funding for early childhood health and development and parenting programs for Arizona families.
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Of concern is the ballot language itself. The language on the ballot for Prop. 302 is an exercise in double-talk where “yes” means “no”, and “no” means “yes”.
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A “yes” vote would not only sweep funds set aside for First Things First–thereby terminating the program and it’s services–it would also redirect future tobacco tax revenue to the state’s general fund to be used at the discretion of the legislature. A “no” vote saves First Things First, preserving the voter-approved program that has been a vital first step in developing a healthy educational foundation for Arizona’s infants and toddlers.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan today (7/27/10) released the list of finalists for the second round of the Race to the Top federal grant program. Arizona is one of the 19 finalists.
All candidates running for the state Senate or House of Representatives in the 2010 primary were asked to complete our survey on issues surrounding public education in Arizona. The survey consists of 12 multiple-choice questions. A comment section follows each section allowing candidates the opportunity to clarify or elaborate upon their answers. Per our protocol, candidates were emailed the survey on on June 22 and sent two reminder emails prior to the July 16 deadline. If a candidate did not submit a survey, it is noted by their name.
The Joint Legislative Budget Council (JLBC) released an analysis of budget cuts to the state general fund operating budget over the last four fiscal years (2008-2011). According to the report, Arizona has faced four consecutive years with a budget shortfall. Over the last four years, Arizona’s K-12 public schools have seen a $883.9 million reduction in funding. Similarly, funding for the state’s community colleges has been cut by $53.5 million and the universities by $232.5 million.
The candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction have been invited to a forum to be held Thursday, August 12, 2010, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson, the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the Arizona Education Network, Literacy for Life Coalition and Tucson Values Teachers.
The spring 2010 Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) scores were released Thursday by the Arizona Department of Education.
There are five candidates running for the state-wide office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. They are Margaret Dugan, John Huppenthal, Penny Kotterman, Beth Price and Jason Williams.
Phoenix-based PBS channel Eight recently aired a special edition of Horizon where host Ted Simons moderated two Clean Elections debates with the candidates running for Superintendent of Public Instruction. The first debate featured Republican candidates Margaret Dugan, John Huppenthal, and Beth Price. The second debate featured the Democratic candidates Penny Kotterman and Jason Williams.
Public school funding is derived using several complex equations, and in this piece the Arizona Education Network helps break it down in a Question and Answer format for charter public schools.
Public school funding is devised by several complex equations, and in this piece the Arizona Education Network helps break it down in a Question and Answer format for traditional public schools.
Both traditional public and charter school financing in Arizona is complicated, but the Arizona Education Network takes it apart and answers your questions.
In this May 13, 2010 edition of our newsletter: Let’s Get the Vote Out for Prop 100; As the May 18 Vote Approaches You are Making a Difference; Election Day, What You Need to Know; Your Prop 100 Questions Answered, Recap.
In this May 4, 2010 newsletter: Arizona Legislature Completes Session, Your Prop. 100 Questions Answered, 100 Stands for Lemonade, Superintendent of Public Instruction Debate May 13, 2010, AEN Fast Fact, Early Voting has Started
In this issue: Proposition 100 under Attack: Check out the Facts; Early Voting has Started; Community Leaders Discuss Prop 100.
The Arizona Education Network and other parent and community organizations have sponsored or have spoken at several community forums about the state of education funding and Proposition 100. You can find the presentations and/or links to the school districts.
Arizona Education Network Newsletter dated 4/18/10: In this issue: Who Is to Blame for Cuts at Your School, Last Date to Register to Vote for Special Election Is April 19, 2010, AEN Proposition 100 Tool Kit, Arizona Public Media Sales Tax Debate, Tell Congress We Need Help to Save Teacher Jobs, Take Action Now–Forward This Email to Ten Family Members & Friends.
A new study by researchers at the Economic and Business Research Center at the University of Arizona finds that a yes vote on Proposition 100 would save more than 13,000 jobs and preserve more than $442 million in federal matching funds for Arizona.
In this issue: What Happens in Your School District if Prop 100 Fails: Contigent Cuts for School Districts; Learn More: Find a Budget and/or a Prop 100 Forum Near YOU; AEN Needs Your Help
. . In order to show the direct impact of potential cuts to school districts if Proposition 100 fails, Governor Brewer’s Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting recently released a report that provides a district-by-district estimate of the impact of legislative budget cuts on Arizona school districts for the 2010-11 school year (FY 2011). The report shows [...]
The Arizona Legislature website is one of the best websites of its kind. There are many points of information available and this post will help you navigate it efficiently. This basic tutorial will help a user to understand how the website’s menu bar is set up, and where to go to find the information you are seeking.
Monday, Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan announced that Tennessee and Delaware were the only two winners of the phase one Race to the Top Grants. Arizona ranked fortieth out of forty-one applicants with a score of 240.2 out of 500.
Ideology, spin and inflammatory rhetoric are no substitute for factual information.
The majority of Republican, Democrat and Independent-leaning families in our state send their children to public schools–support for education is not a partisan issue. As a group, we will continue to insist that our elected officials use factual information and adhere to their constitutional duties to our children, communities and our schools.
Newsletter Contents: AEN releases legislators’ voting records and two opportunities for action.
The Arizona Education Network has compiled a summary of all legislators’ voting records pertaining to their support of public education at all levels (K-University) during the 2009 Regular and Special Sessions.
On March 13, 2010 the Obama administration released their blueprint for changes to the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The blueprint emphasized many of the same strategies as the Race to the Top grant program including teacher accountability for annual progress.
While many Arizonans are familiar with the impact of their local Governing or School Board, they are unfamiliar with the influence of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The officeholder is a major force in decisions made about public education in the state of Arizona. The Superintendent of Public Instruction influences policy in the legislature, is responsible for the implementation of education legislation and is in charge of the Department of Education and its interactions with school districts. Further, the Superintendent of Public Instruction commands the bully pulpit on education issues and has a great deal of influence on the direction the state takes regarding educational issues like school funding.
In this newsletter: Special Session #7, Proposition 100, Festival of Books, Now taking donations!, Three Steps You Can Take to Support Public Education: Vote, Vote, Vote
In This Issue:
* Budget Special Session Starts Today: The Writing is on the Wall for Public Education in Arizona
* Arizona Auditor General Report on Classroom Spending 2009: A Closer Look News Under the Radar
* Four Steps You Can Take to Support Public Education in Arizona: Vote, Vote, Vote, Vote
Doug Lemov and Deborah Loewenberg Ball, education researchers, identify 49 teaching techniques that contribute to excellent student outcomes. In math, students whose teacher got an above-average M.K.T. (Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching) score learned about three more weeks of material over the course of a year than those whose teacher had an average score, a boost equivalent to that of coming from a middle-class family rather than a working-class one.” In essence, an educator just knowing the subject matter is only one contributor to student learning.
In this issue: *Proposition 100 *How are the education cuts affecting you?
In our February 19, 2010 newsletter and here on our website, we solicited your stories on how cuts to public education funding are affecting you. Here you’ll find some of the responses we’ve received.
In another blow to fiscal responsibility in AZ, four bills have successfully passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee in recent weeks, which would expand the private school tax-credit program if adopted. Three of these bills would increase private school tax-credit contributions allowing an approximate loss of $60 million to Arizona’s general fund, and would require nearly 8,000 students to transfer from a public school to a private school in order for these programs to be, at best, budget neutral.
Arizona Education Network takes a closer look at the private school tax credit program and its history in order to understand the evolution of the program, the issues that have been raised and the potential changes in the future.
Arizona public school districts are responding to charter school models with innovative programs, and some are offering their own charter schools.
December state payments to Arizona’s three public Universities were finally made on January 21, 2010. The Arizona Republic is reporting that the payment did not include the amount owed the universities from the general fund; only the tuitionheld by the state was remitted.
Education Week has recently released its annual Report Card on American public education, and it shows mixed results for Arizona.
. The recent issue of The Atlantic looks into the hotly debated question of what makes a good teacher. Proposals in the new Race to the Top standards will require teacher compensation tied to student performance. Under this teacher accountability model, identifying teacher excellence will be even more important. The article points out that; “[s]tates must try to identify great teachers, figure [...]
. Update to post below: . US Census Department Figures show that the Arizona population increased 28.6% from April of 2000 to July 2009. . During the same period, average daily membership (the term used to refer to the total enrollment of students through the first 100 days of the school year) in Arizona schools [...]
Arizona Excels at School Choice; Fails in School Investment . Arizona enters the new decade as the national leader in school choice. Arizona parents can choose to open-enroll their children in the public school that best meets their needs, choose among almost 500 charter schools or even receive a tax credit funded scholarship to offset [...]
The Arizona Republic reported that private school tuition tax credits that are earmarked for individual students may be in violation of federal law.
A bi-partisan task force met in the House today for a second hearing covering investigations of School Tuition Organizations (STOs) and reform of the private-school tax credit program.
On Wednesday 10/21/09, the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed its April 2009 decision that the Arizona School Tuition Organizations Program for private schools is unconstittutional.
The Arizona Republic and the East Valley Tribune have each published their respective analysis on private school tax credits, school tuition organizations (STOs), how they are meeting the spirit or intent of the tax credit legislation, transparency of programs and costs, and the players/organizations involved.
In response to a warning by Governor Brewer that some services may face cuts or elimination, Senator Russell Pearce suggested specific cuts to education.
In the wake of $133 million in state cuts to education, Arizona school districts have opted to place overrides or bonds on the November 3, 2009 ballot. The Arizona Education Network encourages voters to vote “YES” to these overrides or bonds so that these school districts can restore funding back to levels necessary for educating Arizona’s future.
Public Education & The AZ Constitution–It’s Indisputable!
Why did some Arizona Legislators sign a “No Tax Pledge” that puts them in direct conflict with the Arizona Constitution they are sworn to uphold?
Arizona’s public school standing in the educational world has been slipping over the last decade, to the point where it has now reached a crisis point in funding, ideology and prioritizing. It needs to be stated and reiterated that public education was vital to our Arizona founders, who recognized the integral relationship between a strong public education system and the viability of Arizona as a state.
Enter into this section of the website for practical and factual rebuttals to some of the most “interesting” spin out there!
While charter schools like Basis are known for their excelling programs, many other charter schools have not met their promises.
With the recent k-12 budget cuts the AZ legislature has enacted, many students are coming back to the new school year with larger than ever class sizes.