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Schwiebert

ESAs, Arizona Department of Education, tuition, public schools, private schools, parents, Hobbs, Lewis, Ladner
Aug 25, 2023

Attempts to curtail universal ESA program fail

In the first legislative session following the universal expansion of the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, attempts to curtail or enact further oversight for the program fell flat.

election, 2024, legislative races, Republicans, Democrats, House, Senate
Jul 20, 2023

Early look at 2024’s competitive legislative districts

As the 2024 state election draws closer, Republicans and Democrats are already targeting several key competitive legislative districts that could determine which party has control of the Legislature.

Mayes, Horne, ELL, Ukraine, guns
Jul 17, 2023

Schools using 50-50 Dual Immersion Model to teach ELL not at risk of losing funds

Schools using the 50-50 Dual Immersion Model to teach English Language Learners are no longer at risk of losing funds, despite threats from the Arizona Department of Education.

Bibles, Stahl Hamilton, House, members' lounge
Apr 28, 2023

Democrat caught hiding Bibles in House, apologizes

A Democratic lawmaker apologized to her colleagues on the House floor Wednesday for removing and hiding Bibles in the members’ lounge, calling the act a protest of a lack of separation of church and state.  

teachers, student teachers, Gress, House, Teachers Academy
Apr 17, 2023

Gress wants to expand Teachers Academy program

A first-term state lawmaker wants to expand the Teachers Academy program that provides scholarships to prospective public school teachers to students attending private and religious colleges.

cottage food industry, Hobbs, tamales, Senate, House, legislation, commercial kitchens, home-based businesses
Apr 14, 2023

House passes bill to expand laws allowing sale of ‘cottage foods’ to public

With only 11 dissenting votes, the state House approved legislation Thursday to expand state laws that allow the sale of "cottage foods'' to the general public.

teacher pay, Gress, House, salaries, education, K-12
Mar 28, 2023

$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.

school finances, Horne, Gress, school finance transparency portal, Allovue, Gutierrez, Pingerelli, Schiwebert, teacher pay
Mar 17, 2023

Legislators evaluate new school finance transparency tool 

Arizona lawmakers are considering whether the state should continue funding its recently launched school finance transparency portal.  

Toma, House, Senate, Hobbs, Ducey, Napolitano, Mofford, bills, Republicans, Democrats
Mar 3, 2023

After budget veto, more GOP bills likely for Hobbs’ rejection

It’s been more than a decade since Arizona had a divided government, but Republican legislators are signaling they’re willing to send bills to die at the desk of Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.  

Horne, Critical Race Theory, state of education
Jan 31, 2023

House committee approves bill to fine schools teaching ‘CRT’

A Republican majority in the House Education Committee, with support from Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, revived the crusade against critical race theory (CRT) and passed a bill imposing a $5,000 fine on schools whose staff are found to have provided “prohibited instruction” on race outlined in the legislation.  

Democrats, Republicans, Twitter, public records, House, Senate, emails, Cano, Biasiucci, Epstein, Borrelli, Schwiebert, Petersen,
Jan 25, 2023

Dems oppose rules limiting record retention, expanding leadership power 

The Arizona Senate and House of Representatives adopted new rules packages on party lines this week that would expand the powers of the House speaker and Senate president and drastically reduce requirements for members to retain records.  

corporate income tax, bill, House Ways and Means, Appropriations, corporations, revenue, Schwiebert, Cano, Grantham
Jan 11, 2023

House corporate income tax cut bill passes initial committee hearings

The first bill to be heard by Arizona House of Representatives members, which is projected to reduce the state’s revenue by about $1.8 billion from corporate income tax breaks over four years, passed two committee meetings on Wednesday.