Arizona Kids Deserve Better

At the Capitol, right now, legislators are considering a controversial education funding proposal that could affect school spending for generations.

The plaintiffs have agreed to receive just over 70% of the court-ordered payment for inflation funding. This is not enough money to substantially affect our bottom-of-the-barrel national ranking on per pupil funding. And schools would have to wait until next summer to get the money when there are other options that would provide immediate funding.

If the deal gets legislative approval, Arizona schools would have to make do with just over 70% of what the court says they are owed. And 70% is a C average. Our kids deserve better than that.

There is money in the general fund that could go to schools now and could be used to protect resources for future generations. Schools have weathered years of budget cuts which stripped away billions of dollars. Getting schools the resources needed to prepare Arizona kids for 21st-century jobs and a global economy must remain an ongoing priority.