PHOENIX – Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction applauded the passage of the State Education budget today.
“I want to commend the Legislature and the Governor for working hard, under difficult circumstances, to pass a budget that makes significant improvements for Arizona students and schools,” said Superintendent Douglas. “Many goals outlined in my State of Education address were achieved.”
Fulfilling her state constitutional role, Superintendent Douglas delivered her Arizona State of Education address last January. Among the goals she outlined in the address were:
· Acting sooner rather than later on the expiration of Prop 301 to avoid a fiscal cliff
· Getting better pay for teachers – she proposed an eleven-percent (11%) increase
· Making sure schools have funding for facilities
· Vital ongoing IT funding for the state student information system AZEDS.
“Prop 301 was extended in a bi-partisan fashion, avoiding a fiscal cliff. Teachers will see a twenty-percent (20%) pay increase over the next three years. There will also be a more than three-hundred and fifty million dollar ($ 350 Million) increase to the additional assistance fund – that helps schools with facilities and raises for support staff,” said Superintendent Douglas. “We also have ongoing IT finding, that is needed to maintain our student information system. These were all important victories for our students and schools.”
“Over the past several years,” observed Superintendent Douglas, “we have turned the large ship of Arizona Education in a better direction. Common Core standards have been replaced. Teachers and support staff will be getting meaningful raises. There will be more money for facilities. Most of our IT systems have been moved into the twenty-first century.”
“Make no mistake, there is still much work to do,” continued Douglas. “We are in the process of updating our Science and Social Science and History standards. Our School Finance IT system is on an operating system that is antiquated and must be addressed. I am optimistic that those are challenges we can meet in the future. I feel we have made great strides towards the world class education system we want and that Arizona parents and students deserve.”
