Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is pushing for the extension of Prop. 123, a funding measure critical to the state's education system that's set to expire in 2025. Hobbs' plan, revealed earlier today, a disbursement of funds into four main areas, aimed at bolstering general school funding, teacher salaries, support staff pay, and safety measures, 12 News reported.
The proposed distribution includes $257 million to general school funding, $347 million for boosting teacher pay, $118 million aimed at support staff, and $39 million dedicated to safety and security over a 10-year average projection period. According to the governor, the plan caters to the imperative need of a quality and safe education for Arizona kids, while addressing the pressing teacher shortage. As stated by the governor, "My plan is a critical step toward ensuring every Arizona child can get a quality and safe public education while addressing our teacher shortage," as 12 News disclosed.
Her resolve got a nod from southern Arizona educators who see public education as an integral investment. In her State of the State address, Hobbs emphasized a bipartisan drive to surpass the aggregate expenditure cap of the past, a detail highly praised by local educators. "I always take communication from our state officials, and lawmakers from the lens of public education being a true investment," Dr. Manuel Valenzuela, superintendent for Sahuarita Unified School District, told KOLD News 13.
While Prop 123 injected $3.5 billion into K-12 schools over the past decade, the potential expiry looms large. Superintendent Valenzuela explained the current funding stream brings in about "$400,000-$450,000 a year, in an era when I think most people agree that great education, great educators, teachers and staff are priceless." Republican lawmakers haven't sat this one out, suggesting their own renewal plan months ago focusing on teacher pay, which according to Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, will likely win voter's hearts for the sake of increasing teacher salaries.
Wage boost and state-wide teacher retention also take center stage in this debate. Jim Byrne, president of the Tucson Education Association, the importance of encompassing all educators in salary considerations when he stated, "We want to push for an equity and And that’s what we hope Governor Hobbes’s message in the strong, stronger prop 123 is covering all educators, not just those with a classroom roster," in an interview with KOLD News 13. Furthermore, issues of ESA program accountability and an increased focus on school safety were cited as additional areas for the upcoming year by educators and the governor alike.
As for the financial backend supporting this cause, the governor's office the state land trust's sturdy growth, now valued close to $8 billion with a commendable average annual return over the past decade. The Hobbs administration is set on bringing Prop. 123 back to the ballot, aiming for a shared legislative push from both sides of the aisle in a move that will demand the voter's final verdict.
