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Schools chief asks for more money to probe teacher misconduct
The state’s schools chief says the team in charge of investigating teacher misconduct claims is understaffed and overworked, and she wants enough money to double the staff.
Ducey won’t commit to more funds for school voucher program
Gov. Doug Ducey won't commit to providing the funds that schools chief Kathy Hoffman says she needs to properly administer the state's voucher program.
Hoffman, school choice group clash over voucher program
A school choice organization fired its third broadside in as many months against the Arizona Department of Education, accusing the Democratic administration of playing fast and loose with state laws to stifle the voucher program.
Education department reverses course, grants military family voucher
A 5-year-old Sierra Vista boy denied an Empowerment Scholarship Account and featured in a video posted over the weekend by a school choice organization will get state help paying for private school this fall.
Democrat with little political experience becomes most effective in 2019
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.
Law or not, school voucher oversight in the works
A provision slipped into the budget directs state officials to contract with a private company to help administer Arizona’s school voucher program.
High rate of Indian students denied school vouchers
The Arizona Department of Education and a school choice advocacy group place blame on each other for the dismal acceptance rate among Indian children who apply for school vouchers.
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.
Lawmaker seeks protections for teachers against strike
House Majority Whip Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, is telling teachers who oppose the job action to send her emails at her official state address detailing that they actually want to go to work but can't because the school has been closed. Townsend told Capitol Media Services she will write back -- and from her official state email account -- to provide proof that they made that claim.
New school funding error found, no solution in place
According to a letter sent to school districts and charter schools on Tuesday, the department under-allocated $15.2 million in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, funding. Department spokesman Stefan Swiat said a 2015 audit by the Office of Special Education Programs also found that $14.3 million was over-allocated, affecting about 400 charters and districts.
State glitch gives some schools too much federal money, underfunds others
Hundreds of charter schools and traditional school districts in Arizona have been receiving more federal funding for low-income students than they were entitled to while others were left with far less for at least the past four fiscal years.
Low-rated, failing schools risk loss of money, have hoops to jump through
Nearly 200 schools statewide received either a D or F grade under the state’s new school rating system. Traditional K-8 schools accounted for the majority of schools on notice with 153 receiving D grades and 31 receiving Fs. Meanwhile, a dozen 9-12 schools received Ds and four others received Fs.
