The importance of education doesn’t need to be explained or defended here.
Arizona is known as a retirement haven. Low cost of living is part of what attracts older folks on fixed incomes. They don’t like paying school taxes, and don’t have school-age children, so they don’t have a personal take in quality schools. Arizona also is a Republican-leaning state, and Republicans generally aren’t supportive of public education.
That’s the case in Arizona, which ranks near the bottom in per-pupil spending and teacher salaries. Spending more on schools doesn’t automatically get you better schools, but in this case the lack of resources shows; Arizona ranks 49th in student test scores.
This year, Arizona’s GOP legislators may pile on another reason to avoid Arizona schools: Schools may shut down before the school year ends for lack of money.
Arizona has a 42-year-old voter-passed budget cap mechanism the legislature has to override every year to keep schools and other state functions operating. This week, newly-elected Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs asked legislators for cooperation.
Arizona has big issues — water shortages, a border crisis, soaring housing costs, school funding and a teacher shortage — and solving them won’t be easy on the best of days. But Arizona is notorious for Republican screwballs. In 2022, they fielded a slate of election deniers, lost all the important state offices, and nearly lost the legislature; they have 1-seat majorities in both legislative houses (see details here).
Many of the Republicans turned their backs on Hobbs, or walked out of the chamber (read story here). Arizona school parents had better hope at least one in each chamber isn’t a kamikaze. Meanwhile, if you’re a parent and considering moving to Arizona, the best advice is: Don’t. You owe your kids better than this.