Arizona Education Network

Word came out mid-afternoon Monday February 19, 2012 that a package of ten budget bills had been assigned to both the Arizona Senate and House Appropriations Committees for Tuesday, February 20, 2012. Both committees are scheduled to begin at 8AM.  The late notification gave fewer than 18 hours for the public to review and prepare  Continue Reading >

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 . Here is a quick summary of four education related “Strike Everything” amendments that will be moving through the Senate Committee on Government–bypassing the Senate Education Committee–at 8 AM on Wednesday, February 15, 2012. “Strike Everything” amendments basically “gut” existing bills, regardless of topic, and insert new language on often unrelated  Continue Reading >

A Maricopa County Superior Court has rejected a legal challenge by the Arizona School Boards Association (ASBA) and the Arizona Education Association (AEA) to Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs). ESAs were established by legislation passed in a prior session allowing parents of special needs students to “cash out” of the public school system.  Ninety percent of  Continue Reading >

Arizona Voters Support Sales Tax Continuation to Fund Public Education. Poll shows high level of support as well as demands for reform. Seven out of 10 Arizona voters support the continuation of the existing one-cent sales tax to fund public education. That was among the findings of a poll commissioned by a number of educational  Continue Reading >

Today’s Arizona Republic offers a laundry list of issues Arizonans need to address before it’s too late.  In We’ve got problems, the Republic summarizes the Arizona Directions 2012 report. The state budget is about to go over a one billion dollar cliff as the one-cent sales tax expires in 2013.* Just 25% of Arizona fourth-graders were  Continue Reading >

In their 2011 Student Financial Aid Report, the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) highlights the affect of state budget cuts on university students in Arizona. The report tells us: The number of students demonstrating financial need for higher education has increased by 88% in the last five years. Less than 1% of the roughly one  Continue Reading >

Below are posted  the preliminary, unofficial bond and override results from the November 2011 election (as of November 9, 2011).  Results will be updated when all election returns are finalized in early December 2012. Several observations can be made: A higher percentage of bond projects was approved than of budget override measures.  (Ten of fifteen  Continue Reading >

What will happen to public education funding when the temporary one-cent sales tax expires in 2013? What will happen to public education funding when $538 million in corporate tax breaks go into effect in 2014. With no legislative attention being paid to these massive losses to the general fund–or to the $500 million structural deficit  Continue Reading >

Sunday’s Arizona Daily Star printed excerpts  from a wide-ranging conversation with UA’s President,  Eugene G. Sander. Sander talks about: UA’s national and international reputation and its benefit to the community; The $182 million cut in funding at the university level and its effect on the school; Providing an enrichment experience and engaging students; The challenge of  Continue Reading >

A diverse group of education supporters has been meeting this summer to hash out a people’s initiative to fund public education in Arizona.  Moderated by Susan Carlson of ABEC (Arizona Business and Education Coalition), the groups include AEN, the Arizona Education Association, Teach for America, Stand for Children and  charter school advocates.  The aim of  Continue Reading >

Governor Brewer will not commit to applying excess tax revenues to restore funding cuts made to education, according to the Arizona Daily Star on September 12, 2011. Nor would she go on record to to protect education from additional cuts in future budget talks.  The Governor does commit to spending the surplus wisely. Since the  Continue Reading >

On September 2, 2011 the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released the first study examining funding cuts to public education from FY2008 – FY2012.  Data was available for the period for 24 states, including Arizona.  Arizona spending per student adjusted for inflation has decreased 24 percent. While many states have experienced substantial cuts to  Continue Reading >

On September 3, 2011, the Arizona Daily Star reported that Arizona school districts cut more than 10,000 employees–including 6,640 instructors–from March 2009 to March 2010, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.  Arizona Department of Education spokesman Andrew LeFevre said a decrease in student population is partly  responsible for the drop in funding  Continue Reading >

Anyone remotely involved in advocating for public education in this country has come across the Finland comparison. America’s public school system measures in the middle of the international pack in reading, math and science against Finland’s top-of-the-heap results. What are some of the differences? The US is busy trying to reform public education by introducing  Continue Reading >

All public kindergartens in the state are implementing the newly adopted Common Core Standards into their curriculum beginning this school year, resulting in a more rigorous academic program for the state’s youngest students. The Common Core Standards have been voluntarily adopted by 48 states in an effort to standardize the public education curriculum across the  Continue Reading >

A few schools across the state are implementing the Move On When Ready program approved by the Legislature last session. Under the program, high school sophomores take rigorous core subject exams and, in effect, test out of the remaining two years of high school.  Awarded the Grand Canyon diploma, these students can immediately go on  Continue Reading >

Parents are being asked to provide an increasing amount of basic supplies to their children’s schools as Arizona students return to class.  As Alexis Huicochea reports in her article, Teachers Leaning on Parents for Supplies, (Sunday, August 14, 2011) some schools are starting the academic year with no budget for supplies.  These schools have asked  Continue Reading >

The Arizona Daily Star’s Josh Brodesky reports that Arizona’s divestiture in public education has occurred alongside the rising investment in an unlikely industry:  private prisons. (Private-prison expansion a crime, Sunday, August 14, 2011). As Brodesky puts it “education is a path to economic development and innovation.  But we are cutting it while funding hundreds of  Continue Reading >

Education Next, a journal reporting on school reform efforts, published its 5th Annual PEPG Survey—a snapshot of stakeholder opinion on issues related to public education. The survey indicates the current controversies over public education have not yet altered public opinion, but teachers’ views differ sharply from that of non-teacher respondents.   Click here to read  Continue Reading >

An analysis by the Arizona Education Network of the Arizona Learns 2009-2010 Achievement Profiles for All Schools published by the Arizona Department of Education shows that traditional public schools, once again, performed better than charter schools over the same period.  To see last year’s results, click here.   The report also shows a significant decrease in  Continue Reading >

An analysis by the Arizona Education Network of the Arizona Learns 2009-2010 Achievement Profiles for All Schools published by the Arizona Department of Education shows a significant decrease in the number of excelling schools in Arizona.  In 2008-2009 there were 321 traditional schools and 74 charter schools excelling in the state.  In 2009-2010 the number of excelling school dropped  Continue Reading >

As the First Regular Session of the Arizona Legislature concluded in the early hours of April 20, 2011, a disturbing pattern emerged: the silencing of those who would defend Arizona’s students.  This Legislature passed five bills–HB2002, SB1329, SB1365, SB1116 and HB2219–aimed at stifling stakeholders in public education. If all these bills become law (two have already been  Continue Reading >

**UPDATED 4/19/2011** Governor Brewer signed HB 2301 on Tuesday, April 19, 2011. To read about the benefit to public schools, see original post below. . On Wednesday, April 14, the Legislature sent a bill to the Governor’s desk that would allow public schools some flexibility with tax credit funds allocated prior to 2011. Currently, tax  Continue Reading >

On Sunday, April 10, the East Valley Tribune ran an editorial praising Governor Brewer and the legislature for making the hard choices necessary to produce a balanced budget.  The editorial singled out the Arizona Education Network because of our criticism regarding Governor Brewer’s failure to protect education. . The following is a guest commentary written  Continue Reading >

Explaining that the costs would unbalance the budget, Governor Brewer vetoed the expansion of the private school tax credit program yesterday (4/12/11). . HB 2581, passed by both chambers of the Legislature would have: increased the private school tax credit to $750 for an individual/$1,500 for those filing jointly.  With the veto, it will remain at  Continue Reading >

The Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts bill (SB1553) creates a new way for public funds to be used to pay for private and parochial schools for special education students.  The Empowerment Scholarship Accounts will be used to pay parents rather than private schools directly, answering the major legal objection to the previous attempt to use public funds to pay  Continue Reading >

As part of the K-12 education budget bill SB1617,the Arizona Legislature dealt a devastating cut to the successful Joint Technology Education District (JTED) program.  The following is a press release by the Pima County JTED outlining the cuts and the impact they will have on JTED in Pima County.  Cuts will apply to all JTED districts  Continue Reading >

Today’s U.S. Supreme Court private school tax credit ruling is bad news for poor children in the state of Arizona and a big boon for the wealthy.

On Monday, April 4, 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court released its opinion, dismissing the lawsuit challenging the Arizona’s private school-tuition tax credit program.

  April 1, 2011 – Governor Brewer yesterday showed complete disregard for our state’s faltering economy when she failed to defend public education funding as she had promised she would. . On Tuesday, former Intel CEO Craig Barrett, warned legislators that Arizona will not be able to attract good -paying jobs without investing in education.   Continue Reading >

**Updated with vote detail on related bills below.** . After an all night session, the House passed a budget that cuts $183.2 million from K-12 and $270.8 million from universities and community colleges for a total of $454 million in cuts to education in Arizona. The budget was a compromise negotiated among Governor Brewer, the  Continue Reading >

On Tuesday, March 29 the Arizona Commerce Authority held a board meeting open to the public where members expressed concerns that the state of public education in Arizona is compromising Arizona’s ability to attract new businesses that bring high-paying jobs to the state.

. . On Tuesday, March 22, 2011, the Arizona Republic published a statement from Governor Brewer regarding the Senate budget proposal now moving through the House.  See “Budget cuts shouldn’t devastate state priorities“. Governor Brewer asserted her budget proposal submitted in January was a restrained and reasonable approach to balancing the state’s finances, while holding as closely as  Continue Reading >

. . On Wednesday, March 23, university students will rally at campuses across the state to protest the proposed $235 million cut to higher education in the proposed Senate budget now moving through the Arizona House.  For more details or to learn how to get involved, visit the Arizona Students’ Association website. . Campus schedule for rallies: .  Continue Reading >

Each year the Arizona Auditor General releases a report on classroom spending. “Classroom spending” is defined by the Auditor General’s Report as: Classroom personnel—Salaries and benefits for teachers, teachers’ aides, substitute teachers, graders, and guest lecturers. General instructional supplies—Paper, pencils, crayons, instructional aids, etc. Textbooks, workbooks, software, films, etc. Activities—Field trips, athletics, and co-curricular activities  Continue Reading >

ASU President Michael M. Crow released a statement today detailing how the extensive cuts passed by the Senate would weaken Arizona State University.   The information in the statement shows exactly how dire these cuts will be to higher education in Arizona.  There is little doubt that cuts of this magnitude will have an adverse impact on the economic recovery  Continue Reading >

. . Overview of Events at the Arizona Senate Shortly after 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15, 2011, the Arizona Senate voted to suspend rules and consider a budget proposed by the Senate majority party. Bypassing established rules, all thirteen budget related bills that impact education, vital health and human service agencies, as well as  Continue Reading >

It is time to take education funding out of the hands of ideologues in the Arizona Legislature. . These ideologues wrap themselves in the flag of anti-government rhetoric while systemically shredding the values symbolized by our great flag of the United States of America:  A democracy dedicated to educating its people and thereby promising equal  Continue Reading >

On Tuesday, March 15, 2011, the Arizona Senate voted to suspend rules for the consideration of the Senate’s budget package.

he Arizona Auditor General released its annual report on Arizona School District Spending Fiscal Year 2010 to the public on March 1, 2011. The major conclusions of the report are:

* Arizona’s per-pupil spending continues to trail the national average by nearly $2,500 (using AZ & US 2008 fiscal years for exact comparison).
* Arizona districts spent 55.9 percent of their available operating dollars on classroom instruction – a record low and about 5 percent less than the 60.8 percent national average.
* Arizona spent a higher percentage on student support than the national average.
* Arizona spent a lower percentage on administration – 9.5 percent (AZ) vs. 10.8 percent (US).

The Arizona Daily Star reported today (2/21/11) that ”the budget that is ultimately approved may substantially track the proposal that Brewer released in January.”  Let’s take a closer look at the Governor’s budget and how it may affect public education in Arizona. . Governor Brewer affirms that she has already reduced K-12 per pupil support 18% and university  Continue Reading >

The recent tax cut package passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Brewer will cost the state’s general fund millions in revenues and may potentially endanger funding to K-12 education.  The business tax cuts begin to phase in during tax year 2012.  It is important to point out that the special one-percent education sales tax will  Continue Reading >

. The Arizona Constitution mandates that our legislators “…shall make such appropriations, to be met by taxation, as shall insure the proper maintenance of all state educational institutions, and shall make such special appropriations as shall provide for their development and improvement.” (Article 11, Section 10). The O’Connor House and Expect More Arizona have joined  Continue Reading >

Author of The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education and member of Ronald Reagan’s education team, Diane Ravitch writes a thorough review of Waiting for “Superman”. Ravitch’s review provides and expands upon facts necessary to have a knowledgeable discussion of the issues surrounding education.

On Wednesday, November 3, 2010 the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on the legality of Arizona’s tax credit program. At issue is whether tax credit payments, which overwhelmingly benefit private religious schools, violate the separation of church and state.

You are invited to attend an education forum for all gubernatorial candidates presented by:

Arizona Business and Education Coalition

Arizona Education Network

Arizona Hispanic Administrators Association

Arizona Parent Teacher Association

Arizona School Administrators Association

Arizona School Boards Association

Expect More Arizona

East Valley Institute of Technology

Greater Phoenix Educational Management Council

Scottsdale Community College Students’ Association

Stand for Education

Support Our Schools AZ

Voices for Education
Moderated by: Center for Civic Participation

The following candidates will present their plans for the future of education in our state:

Jan Brewer (Republican)

Larry Gist (Green)

Terry Goddard (Democrat)

Barry Hess (Libertarian)

Today’s math curriculum is teaching students to expect–and excel at–paint-by-numbers classwork, robbing kids of a skill more important than solving problems: formulating them. At TEDxNYED, Dan Meyer shows classroom-tested math exercises that prompt students to stop and think. . . . Why you should listen to Dan Meyer: Dan Meyer asks, “How can we design  Continue Reading >

Two candidates have emerged from the Arizona primary election for Superintendent of Public Instruction. They are Penny Kotterman and John Huppenthal. The Superintendent of Public Instruction is the top education official in the state, and acts as the Chairman of the State Board of Education and is the head of the Department of Education. 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. Because of the importance of this officeholder, we have gathered information to help you make an informed decision on November 2 when you elect the next Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Today (9/12/2010) New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman discussed parental expectations in his column, “We’re No. 1(1)!” . While reform of our education system is complicated and funding in these difficult economic times is problematic, parental and student behaviors are targets that deserve a closer look. Friedman maintains that highly motivated students driven by high parental expectation were more common in “the greatest generation” and have fallen by the wayside. Moreover, he suggests that these values are the driving factors for education in both India and China.

This post lists candidates that will move forward to the November 2, 2010 General Election. This is for state senator and representative only. Included in this list is our 12 question, multiple-choice survey that was offered to each candidate. If a candidate did not submit a survey, it is noted by their name.