10/7/2009 7:05:00 AM Legislators: Don't spend money governor gave education
By Jerry Herrmann Special to Review
Rep. Lucy Mason, R-Prescott says she will introduce a bill that will drastically cut the Arizona Department of Education or eliminate it completely.
She expects it will take about six months to flesh out the bill after she introduces it.
Mason called on superintendents and school board members from Yavapai County to help her flesh out this bill.
Through this bill, she proposes to keep the superintendent of schools, which is a constitutional office, and eliminate its 352-500 employees. "We'll take him to the executive tower and use his expensive property for something else," she said.
"You can't afford to have this dysfunctional department dictating to you," Mason told the school district superintendents and board members from the county present on Sept. 30 at Arizona School Boards Association Yavapai County Workshop at Del Rio Elementary School in Chino Valley.
Mason said the elimination of the ADE should make money flow through the state to the individual school districts easier.
"We want to send the money down to the school districts," she said. "Also, principals need to have the authority to be the business manager of their school."
Mason added, "We need to let teachers teach without so much paperwork."
Brandy Cox, Yavapai County Teacher of the Year and Del Rio teacher, stressed that educating youngsters is a team effort between the school and home.
She added, "We need highly qualified teachers because teachers make the difference."
Majority Whip Andy Tobin, R-Paulden, reminded the superintendents and school board members the Legislature is facing a $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion deficit in this year's state budget.
"If you plan on spending the money Gov. (Jan) Brewer put back in education, don't," he said.
Both he and Mason believe the Legislature needs to deal with this deficit in a special session. However, they disagree on when to hold the special session. Mason wants one later this month or in early November. Tobin favors waiting until January.
Tobin said he hopes to revive the bill he carried for Gov. Brewer letting the state's residents vote on her sales tax proposal. The earliest he sees it getting on the ballot is March 2010. However, he has no real hope that will happen.
Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott, in a message read by Yavapai County School Superintendent Tim Carter, echoed Tobin's warning that the money the governor restored to education "simply isn't there."
He added, "The state is broke. We're trying to fund education the best we can."
On the national level, Janice Palmer, ASBA's director of government relations, said, "The national recession is over. However, that is not the case for Arizona. It will be 2013 before the economy is back in the state."
She said there are 300,000 more people on the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System than the number of children in school.
Palmer reminded the superintendents and board members present that the state's education budget for kindergarten through 12th grade is $4.1 billion. This is 43 percent of the total state budget.
On the national level, a lot of the federal stimulus money went to saving jobs, not creating new jobs, she said. The money saved a total of 155,000 kindergarten-12th grade teachers' jobs nationwide.
Chris Thomas, ASBA's general counsel, said ASBA is against the state continuing to allow school tuition organizations to exist in Arizona.
These organizations were set up to allow more needy students attend private schools with tuition scholarships from a STO. That didn't happen, he said.
Some STOs are allowing people to make donations earmarked for tuition scholarships for specific students, sometimes their own, and receiving tax credits. That is illegal, he said.
Posted: Sunday, October 11, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
I am a teacher in Arizona who can't wait until the end of the school year. Why? Because I am tired of getting my pay cut, and using more of my money to buy my students pencils and crayons....I am going to a state that is 49th in the nation....at least I will get paid better.
Posted: Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Unbelievable.
Rep. Mason and Rep. Tobin want the schools to be more accountable but they don't want to pay for a Department of Education?
What is with the elected officials in our state??? Why don't they value our schools? The 1.2 million children currently attending our public schools are the FUTURE WORKFORCE of this state. We are cutting the legs out from under our economic, civic and social future.
Rep. Pierce: spare me with the "we're trying to fund education the best we can" line. My business and children both reside in this state, and I've been watching you try to undermine our schools all year. Our state constitution says that you need to provide for the "development and improvement" of our public schools. You signed an oath to the Constitution. Now it's time for you to abide by the laws in our state.
2010 can't get here fast enough. You better believe that I'll be first in line at the ballot.
Posted: Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Article comment by:
Keep the money in Arizona
Education?? What education? Arizona is ranked 50th in the nation. Something needs to happen and fast.
Look what Gov.Richarson did for New Mexico, he turned New Mexico's education around.
Gov.Richardson used money from slots to help fund education. New Mexico used to be ranked 50th in education, but Arizona has taken their place. Maybe it is time to consider doing something about Arizona's education. Or maybe we should just continue to sit on our hands and do nothing.
