“Putting it politely, the Arizona Legislature is no friend of public education.”

by David Safier

The headline quote sounds like something I might write, but it actually comes from today's Republic editorial:

Putting it politely, the Arizona Legislature is no friend of public education. Once, there was enough support and gubernatorial leadership to fund all-day kindergarten. But supporters lost elections. When gaping budget deficits developed, those who opposed all-day kindergarten from the beginning jumped at the chance to slash the funding.

This put districts in a bind. Scottsdale and Fountain Hills, like many districts, included in their K-3 overrides a legally binding promise to maintain all-day kindergarten.

If districts have to backfill what the state has taken away, it leaves less override money to keep class sizes lower. The only silver lining is that, because Prop. 100 passed, those classes didn't get bigger yet.

The editorial bemoans the fact that the legislature creates unfunded mandates and cuts funding, then the school districts get the blame.

And it concludes by saying, if you care about education, vote accordingly.

This is all worth remembering as you cast your ballot for legislative candidates in the Aug. 24 primary and Nov. 2 general election. If education is important to you, take the time to explore the candidates' positions on the issue.

Do they value public education, or use it as a convenient whipping boy? Do they talk about letting school boards make decisions, or insist that the Legislature must impose a one-size-fits-all solution? When they talk about accountability, are they talking about measuring results or tying the hands of local education leaders?

Kudos to the Republic for laying it out so clearly.