Arizona schools will not be seeing the $331 million owed to them by the state anytime soon. That was the result last week when the Arizona Court of Appeals issued a stay, putting a halt to the 2014 court order to pay schools funds owed since the recession hit the state in 2008.
The stay comes as lawmakers debate methods that could free up the funds owed to the schools. In June Governor Doug Ducey proposed a plan to utilize the state’s permanent land trust fund to move more than $2.2 billion in extra money to schools over 10 years. That plan would have to go to the voters for approval before it could move forward.
Republican lawmakers also proposed a plan that would take less from the land trust, add general fund cash, use money from the state’s early childhood education program and cut required inflation increases. All but the use of general fund cash requires voter approval.
The appeals court order prevents schools from seeking an order that would force the legislature to pay the funds while an appeal is taking place. The state’s appeal was filed this week and could take months to process.
Prior to this ruling the lower court ordered the state to pay $331 million this year, followed by increasing amounts in future years. Schools also want back payments that could equal about $1.3 billion. A ruling has yet to be made on the back payments.
The decision by the appeals court to delay funding schools is not surprising to many educators, but it is also not the only concern, at least for one school superintendent.
“This is a much bigger issue than the long, drawn out Prop. 301 lawsuit. I believe public educators are becoming immune to the political fights at the Capitol,” stated Holbrook School District Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich.
“We feel the Prop. 301 settlement is a minor part of a larger problem in education funding in Arizona. Arizona needs a secure and stable school funding plan that will invest in education today, tomorrow and 40 years from now. Unfortunately, politics stand in the way of our children’s future and that is disappointing.”
Koerperich explained that educating today’s youth is more complex than ever, with constantly evolving technology not only for students, but educators as well.
“It is very contradictory that we talk about a lawsuit settlement that can infuse one time monies into our system, and in the same breath say we are going to cut career and technical education funding. It’s laughable and is a case in point of Arizona’s values toward education. We seem to get the message that new money is coming in and then they cut from some other source, it becomes a neutral game! When you are ranked 47th to 50th in the nation in school funding, neutral will not move us into a competitive education system.”
The cuts to career and technical education (CTE) funding Koerperich refers to began in 2011 and have slashed nearly 53 percent of the funding for that program, with even more cuts expected. These programs provide training for high school students to enter into local business and industries.
According to Koerperich, what public education needs is an investment in the future through a stable funding source that can cause systemic change for current and future students. “Prop. 301 can provide the stimulus, but it is not sustainable. With our current state of politics I am not sure any public educator can get enthusiastic toward the possibilities that lie ahead for public education in Arizona, but one thing is for sure, we will continue to maximize what we do have and provide our students the highest quality of education possible. Thank goodness for public educators, they remain the glue that is keeping the Arizona education system strong.”
