As K-12 curricula moves into the 21st century, Arizona will kick-start a new initiative to train teachers how to code — lessons they can then pass onto their students.

Gov. Doug Ducey made gains on several issues — most notably K-12 education funding — this session, but his plans for far-reaching water reform quickly dried up.

Gov. Doug Ducey has faced difficult legislative sessions before. But this session was on another level.

Arizona lawmakers, roundly criticized this year over poorly funded public schools, want to make one thing clear: They’re not the ones responsible for giving teachers raises.

It’s hard to argue the budget doesn’t focus on education when much of the new spending focuses on K-12 or university education initiatives. The fiscal year 2018 budget adds $163 million above inflation funding to schools.

The coming year will be a critical time for the school choice movement in Arizona and nationally.

The Grand Canyon Institute agrees with Governor Ducey and the educational community. Prop. 123 needs to be approved by voters on May 17. Prop. 123 is an important start, but restoring funding of legal minimums is not a substitute for substantive discussion on real investments in K-12 education, and how investments can be leveraged to improve outcomes. Arizona’s support for K-12 education has fallen far deeper than most people realize.

The push for Proposition 123 got its official start as the campaign for the May 17 special election filed its paperwork with the Secretary of State’s Office on Thursday.

A settlement five years in the making was resolved in a matter of about three weeks once both sides in the ongoing K-12 funding lawsuit sat face-to-face for the first time.

The influential Arizona Tax Research Association penned a study that attempted to provide context for why Arizona consistently ranks among the worst states when it comes to spending on K-12 education.