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Arizona earns praise for teacher training database, despite pay concerns
Arizona won praise in a recent report for its program linking preschool teachers with training and scholarships, even as the report said low wages for those teachers could make such systems an exercise in futility.
How the teacher shortage in education impacts all of us
As a young girl growing up, when people would inadvertently ask me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My answer would most assuredly be, “A teacher.” Teaching was a proud profession, one I and others I knew aspired to be part of. My parents had always stressed the importance of education in our home and for me; the ability to influence lives and inspire others was the perfect comb[...]
In need of classroom supplies, teachers turn to online crowd-funding
The dictionaries in the language arts classrooms at Sunnyslope Elementary School carry the wear-and-tear of some 10 years, but replacements are coming soon, thanks to a new ally: GoFundMe.
Teachers become scapegoat for Arizona’s failure to invest in students
Over the past year, growing media and policy has focused on Arizona's “teacher shortage.” Contrary to popular perception, Arizona does not have a shortage of teachers – at least not by the numbers. Our state has approximately 75,000 people holding active teacher certifications, but only 61,000 are choosing to remain in the teaching profession, according to an Arizona Department of Education [...]
State school board votes to authorize lawsuits against Superintendent Diane Douglas
With Diane Douglas boycotting the meeting at least in part because her seat was changed, the state Board of Education voted Tuesday to authorize two new lawsuits against her.
Educators reveal how they handle tough times in schools throughout the state
Torunn Randich flew halfway around the world just to attend a job fair for the Phoenix Union High School District. Now an 11th-grade English teacher at Carl Hayden High School, Randich, 38, was teaching in the United Arab Emirates at the time.
Economy delivers good news for schools and teachers
Higher than expected sales-tax revenues and land-trust earnings have public-school leaders smiling for the first time in a long time. The Classroom Site Fund, which is earmarked mostly for teacher salaries, is projected to earn $47.4 million more in FY16 than in previous years.
‘Messed up:’ Common Core test could be destined to fail
The Arizona Department of Education is expecting the initial achievement test tied to the Common Core learning standards to be a disaster.
Arizona schools look overseas for teachers to fill vacant positions
Shannon Goodsell looked all over the state this spring for teachers to fill vacancies at Casa Grande Union High School District, where he is superintendent, but still came up short.
Arizona’s teacher salaries rank among the lowest
If the ongoing political debates about education funding have not convinced you, a new study might: Arizona is the sixth worst place in the nation to be a teacher.
Supporters renew push for arming Arizona teachers
A bill before Arizona lawmakers this session renews a push to allow teachers to arm themselves in the classroom. Supporters, including Attorney General Tom Horne, say the legislation would protect children and staff in the event of a mass shooting.
Higher pay key to solving teacher shortage
Research says that the quality of teaching is the No. 1 influence on the learning of children and will either advance them or hold them back. The Education Trust, a national research and advocacy organization says, “The caliber of teachers drives student success.”
