Did education funding really win?

by David Safier
I've read a bunch of news reports about yesterday's legislative session, but I still have trouble believing it, because I've gotten myself in an all-bad-news-all-the-time groove about the Arizona budget.

It looks like K-12 education went from losing hundreds of millions in funding to gaining $100 million from the 2009 funding levels — plus 2 percent. I think that's the 2009 levels after the cuts, but still.

That's a big, big win — or at least it's a major non loss.

OK, let me put my cynical hat back on. This means we may regain our status as 49th in the nation in the amount we spend per student after slipping to 50th. In your face, Utah!

There, that feels better. Don't want to get too happy here.