Sign In
Free Newsletter
Arizona grapples with school closures amid K-12 enrollment decline
Arizona’s public schools have lost tens of thousands of students since 2016, the result of declining birth rates, an aging population and rising housing costs.
Scottsdale Superintendent Scott Menzel on the changing school landscape
The Scottsdale Unified School District governing board voted 3-2 last week to close two schools because of declining enrollment.
Arizona’s K-12 schools sit in the large, looming shadow of federal cuts
Key Points: State budget maintained funding for schools, gave small boosts for certain programs Legislature couldn’t pass extension of Proposition 123 in time State cannot afford to replace federal education […]
Lawmakers pool resources to craft budget projects
Legislative Republicans and Democrats pooled their resources this session to craft major expenses in the state budget, including a $300 million boost to K-12 education and a $260 million tax rebate to Arizona families, plus many smaller projects also were negotiated into the budget.
Q&A with Governor Katie Hobbs
In her first legislative session as governor, Katie Hobbs had to navigate a sharply divided Legislature, at times working closely with Republican leadership while also facing attempts by GOP lawmakers to thwart her agenda.
Petersen: state’s Medicaid program won’t have funds to pay bills unless budget deal reached soon
The state's Medicaid program won't have money to pay its bills next month unless the governor and lawmakers reach a deal -- and soon -- on at least some elements of a budget.
$10K teacher raise bill stalls; Gress hopes for bipartisan solution
A Republican measure that would give Arizona teachers a $10,000 raise over the next two years stalled as the bill sponsor hopes to reach a bipartisan agreement that Gov. Katie Hobbs can sign.
Oppose HB2800, find real solutions to teacher pay
Please join us in urging our colleagues to vote NO on HB2800, and instead work together for bipartisan solutions with the governor and those of us listening to teachers and other education experts.
Senate follows House, OKs waiving AEL
After the House passed a resolution to waive the aggregate expenditure limit, the Senate followed suit.
Legislation to override AEL passes House panel
Lawmakers in the state House of Representatives took the first steps in waiving a spending limit that would require each K-12 school in Arizona to cut 17% of its operating budget.
Study shows number of students chronically absent jumped significantly
Helios Education Foundation, in partnership with WestEd, headed research on chronic absences rates and found in 2021, one in five K-8 students in Arizona schools was chronically absent. The learning loss from absences, compounded with learning loss from the pandemic, continues to threaten student mobility and drop-out rates.
Education funding, election issues expected to be among most contentious issues in session
The 2023 legislative session is being brought to you by the letter E. As in education funding and election issues. These promise to be among the most contentious issues as lawmakers return to the Capitol on Monday.
