Open enrollment closed to students with disabilities
Students with disabilities who try to enroll in a school outside their district through the state’s open enrollment program are often met with denials based on a lack of capacity in special education programs.
With pay lagging, school districts try other enticements to get teachers
Chino Valley is trying tiny houses as an inducement for teachers. The district is not alone. From tiny houses to alternative teacher certification programs to hiring teachers from overseas, school districts around Arizona are scrambling for ways to attract teachers to a state that offers some of the lowest salaries in the nation.
Governor targets results-based funding for schools
Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs proposed the end of results-based funding in her budget, effectively untying additional per-pupil funding from achievement determined by the school letter grade system.
No open enrolment for special needs kids
As parents to children with disabilities, we must constantly fight to make sure our children are seen and heard. Luckily, the Arizona Legislature made necessary changes to the open-enrollment laws to prevent discrimination against children with disabilities.
Don’t ignore our kids with special needs
It’s time to do better for all of Arizona’s students, just like I did for my son, so they can truly be empowered as learners, workers and citizens.
Public school open enrollment needs to be truly open
Even though I did not prevail in my claim nearly a decade ago, passage of SB1685 would give me hope that other Arizona families never have to experience the closed doors to their pursuit of the best public education for their child.
School choice necessary, but it’s not solution for special ed students
All students – regardless of ability level – deserve to have their learning be supported and their needs be met. More than anything, I want to see all students succeed and I am proud to work for a private institution that supports public education.
The Breakdown: No ragrets
Another session, another missed opportunity to fully fund special education programs.
Revamp of special-ed funding formula goes nowhere
Arizona’s formula for funding special education will be at least 40 years old before it is adapted to reflect the effects of school choice.
Candidates for top education office have concerns about charter schools
Charter schools, insufficient public school funding and Proposition 305 were some of the topics in the first debate in the race for state superintendent of public instruction.
Plan in place to fix millions in misallocated school funds
Nine months after the Arizona Department of Education notified schools it had misallocated millions in funding for special education programs, the federal government has approved a plan to correct the error.
Surrogate parents for students with special needs lacking statewide
More volunteers are being sought to advocate for students with special education needs who have no one in their lives to see that those needs are being met.