We need to #AskDuceyWhy he and other Republican leaders
aren’t doing more to keep teachers from leaving Arizona. Headlines proclaim teachers
are “fleeing”
the state “in droves.” This could lead to a shortage of experienced
teachers.

The report further highlights the potential economic
impact if this trend continues, stating, “Arizona will not be able to ensure
economic prosperity for its citizens and create the workforce of tomorrow.”
In an interview
with KJZZ, a Mesa Public School teacher and the Arizona Education Association
vice president recently said that he has heard teachers say that they can’t
afford to teach here and “districts in other states are recruiting because they
know the crisis that we are having.”
It appears that teacher pay is part of our crisis.
The
Phoenix Business Journal reported last month that Arizona spends the least
amount of money on teacher pay in the country, and Arizona is also at or near
the bottom of national lists for classroom instruction spending, per pupil
spending and school administration spending.
The ongoing cuts to education funding have already taken
a toll that goes beyond teachers leaving the state. If the Republicans continue
to neglect funding for education, what might Arizonans expect to see?
- Lower
test scores – “The more money invested, the higher the test scores,”
said ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy Senior Policy Analyst Dan
Huntington.
- Increase
in classroom sizes - a former Phoenix
Elementary School District governing board member said in a recent
interview that the state budget cuts meant schools had to increase their
classroom sizes and freeze teacher compensation.
- Student
safety impacted – some schools could have to scale back
facilities maintenance, security guards and shared nurses.
With so much at stake, why aren’t Republican leaders
investing more in education now? We can’t afford to wait.
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