“49th in state-funded financial aid”

by David Safier The bottom doesn't belong to Arizona's spending on K-12 education alone. According to a Star article about growing university tuition costs, we're at the bottom in the amount the state kicks in for financial aid to university students as well. That means students who pay full tuition subsidize those who pay less. … Read more

65% solution: Districts spend one-third more in classrooms than charters

by David Safier An article in today's Star looks at the percent of their budgets Arizona districts spend on classroom instruction. It comes up with districts spending about 57% in the classroom, considerably lower than the proposed 65% Solution bill being pushed by Russell Pearce and his district-school-bashing cronies. When I ran the same numbers … Read more

G.I. Guarantee Watch: Day 1

by David Safier The Goldwater Institute has a "Guaranteed Research" policy. If the accuracy of any material fact or reference to an independent source is questioned and brought to the Institute’s attention with supporting evidence, the Institute will respond in writing. If an error exists, it will be noted on the Goldwater Institute website and … Read more

Read ’em and weep

by David Safier Legislative news from today's Star: SB1097, mandating that schools submit the names of children who are not in the country legally to the DOE, was approved by its Senate committee. Another bill says the state will not give any money to schools for students not here legally, though I'm not sure of … Read more

AEA on latest AZ ed bill

by David Safier From an Arizona Education Association alert: Today HB 2395 passed in House Government Committee.  This bill, sponsored by Rep. Laurin Hendrix, will prohibit school boards from allowing Association dues to be collected through payroll deduction.  Since the bill was last on the agenda, AEA staff and leaders stayed through the entire 7+ … Read more