As the 2026 legislative session nears, Arizona and North Carolina are shaping up their priorities in the field of education, focusing on issues ranging from financial transparency to teacher compensation. In Arizona, Representative Matt Gress has outlined a reform agenda that includes addressing financial distress in school districts, strengthening school safety, improving low literacy rates, and reviewing educational accountability. In an interview with ABC15, Gress highlighted the need for a better oversight of how schools are handling safety responsibilities and plans to introduce a bill with "clear expectations between now and 2028" regarding literacy certification for teachers.
Arizona is also grappling with a notable teacher shortage, a problem that has seen more than 1,000 teachers resign since the start of the school year, as reported by the Arizona Department of Education. "I think Republicans are still in the same place, which is that we want these new dollars to be used for increased teacher pay," Gress told ABC15, emphasizing the importance of using Prop 123 funds to enhance salaries. Meanwhile, Democrats desire a more flexible approach in the use of these additional funds.
In North Carolina, the State Board of Education delved into their legislative priorities and the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative during their December meeting. Geoff Coltrane, a senior director at the Department of Public Instruction, outlined the mini-budget passed in October, which includes education-related provisions such as funding for virtual schools and teacher salary step increases. In an effort to combat the shortage of school health personnel and provision of one-to-one devices for students, the board put forth a list of priorities to be addressed, as per details obtained from EdNC.
Jason Johnson, the 2025 Wells Fargo Principal of the Year and advisor to the Board, highlighted the struggles of North Carolina educators, with many holding multiple jobs to make ends meet. "Teacher pay has to be a focus," Johnson stated in a discussion about compensation. The State Board of Education has also set in motion an accountability task force tasked with reforming the state's school-level accountability over two years. "You will help North Carolina rethink what we value, what we measure, and ultimately how we communicate the story of our students," Rupen Fofaria, director of State Board operations and policy, told the task force, as mentioned in EdNC.
