Teacher shortages are hardly new, but Covid has accelerated resignations at a rate that is dramatically outpacing other professions.

With students now back in school, it’s time for Arizona to focus on the educational challenges the Covid pandemic created for educators, students and families. 

A Republican lawmaker may introduce legislation again next year to do away with mandatory English immersion for students who are non-native speakers.  

Lawmakers are moving legislation that would ask voters to approve a new way of teaching English Language Learners in Arizona. 

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.