2018 Legislative Call to Action

Next Steps on Teacher Pay and Student Support

AZ Schools Now endorses the Arizona Education Progress Meter and the key benchmarks needed to confront our teacher shortage crisis and fuel student success. To move toward these goals in 2018, AZ Schools Now calls on Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona Legislature to make substantial reinvestments in K-12 public schools to increase teacher pay and student support.

State investments in public schools remain $1.1 billion below 2008 funding levels, which has resulted in a shortage of teachers, outdated textbooks and technology, overcrowded classrooms, and dysfunctional facilities. Arizonans expect large reinvestments that are permanent and equitable, not funding gimmicks or a reshuffling of the deck with current dollars. One-time sweeps or funds from other agencies aren’t the solution. We need sustainable revenue for our public schools.

AZ Schools Now has identified 10 revenue sources as potential funding streams the Legislature could tap to secure hundreds of millions of dollars. Some options include: