Missing details of Ducey pay plan leave teachers skeptical
Lack of details of where the money is coming from and what the governor's plan does not include has Arizona educators panning his offer of a big hike in teacher pay.
The Breakdown, Episode 10: Pardon me
Pardon the noise - the soothing sounds of Capitol traffic are back this week, but so are our reporters with the latest.
Bill to force schools to sell buildings to charters sparks debate
The will of taxpayers is being evoked by both sides in the debate over a bill that would require school districts to sell property to charter or private schools when they are the highest bidders.
Ducey courts school districts with more K-12 money
Looking for a scapegoat a year ago, Gov. Doug Ducey accused school officials for the woes of the Arizona teacher, whose average salary is among the lowest in the nation. Nearly a year later, the governor sounds like a changed man.
Ducey budget proposal makes public school teacher pay raises permanent
One year after claiming local school officials can’t be trusted, Gov. Doug Ducey now has faith that state monies are going to pay teachers higher salaries.
New school funding error found, no solution in place
According to a letter sent to school districts and charter schools on Tuesday, the department under-allocated $15.2 million in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, funding. Department spokesman Stefan Swiat said a 2015 audit by the Office of Special Education Programs also found that $14.3 million was over-allocated, affecting about 400 charters and districts.
Schools cover tab for lawmakers’ failure to fund special education
Arizona lawmakers have not adjusted the additional dollars allocated for students with special needs in at least a decade, and public schools have been left to make up the difference.
Confusion abounds over Ducey’s public-school performance pay plan
Gov. Doug Ducey’s signature results-based funding plan for excelling schools still has districts questioning when they will receive money and how exactly it must be spent.
Split widens between business and education communities
After working together to pump $3.5 billion over a decade into the public education system, the business and education communities find themselves once more at odds following the latest actions at the Arizona Legislature.
Public schools opt for teacher bonuses instead of pay increases
School officials say they won’t count on ongoing funding to boost teacher pay until they see it. So instead of increasing teachers’ base salaries, some schools are preparing to make a lump sum payment to teachers in the amount of 1 percent of their salaries.
Unsettled strife over Prop. 123 clouds future of education funding
It’s hard to set a course for the future of public education in Arizona when school officials and lawmakers are still feuding about the past.
Push on for boosting education dollars
Various interest groups and Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas are making known their education spending priorities.