Our policy leaders should regulate school programs with the same ‘light hand’ that they believe in regulating everything else, including themselves. Simply put, Arizona’s citizens know that our teachers need to be supported and basic principles of fairness should apply to all of us. Children should not be forced to learn English through structured state-mandated English policy.

But even with the 17-13 split in the Senate, the 31-29 split in the House, the Democrat who accomplished the most during the First Regular Session of the 54th Legislature is the one who was criticized for her lack of political experience during the campaign – and she wasn’t even a lawmaker.

I am proud of what we accomplished this year and of the relationships we’ve built. It makes me optimistic about the possibilities the next legislative session holds as we commit ourselves to proactively building coalitions to find sustainable, effective solutions for education.

A bill to eliminate the state’s four-hour-a-day English language learning requirement for students whose second language is English has reached the Senate with nearly unanimous support, but Senate President Steve Yarbrough may kill it.

The slide in the percentage of education funds that ends up in Arizona classrooms appears to have stopped. But it also isn't getting any better.

A federal appeals court has scheduled a January hearing on an appeal of a judge's ruling in favor of Arizona's programs for students learning English.

Crandell’s overhaul of school finance plan attracts skepticism and support

It’s a puzzle that has vexed policymakers, education leaders and business groups for decades, but it’s one that Sen. Chester Crandell hopes to solve: How can the state revamp education funding to be both fair and simple?

Debate over HB2305 continues after opponents gather enough signatures to put it on the ballot

Groups opposing the state’s election reform law rejoiced on Oct. 29 when the secretary of state concluded the referendum against the law has enough signatures to appear on the 2014 ballot.

As lawmakers on Capitol Hill grilled contractors responsible for HealthCare.gov, the failing website allowing access to a new federal health-insurance marketplace, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was thousands of miles away in Arizona.

New set of school standards searches for success

Topock, an Arizona town on the far western edge of the state, doesn’t even have a stoplight. But its school district has scrambled to prepare for the new standards and get the Internet capacity and computers necessary for the 2015 debut of the accompanying test.