A push by the governor to increase the number of Arizonans who have more than a high school education came without something else: money.
At an event Friday, Gov. Doug Ducey said that in less than five years, nearly 70 percent of all jobs will require more than a high school diploma. He wants to get Arizona to get to a point where 60 percent of graduates have education beyond high school. But the governor brushed aside questions afterwards of paying for that, suggesting that's premature.
"We're at 42 percent today. Nothing focuses the mind and the resources like setting that goal," said Ducey.
Ducey said there is money, noting Proposition 123 will put about $300 million more a year into K-12, though that's less than the schools who sued said is owed to them.
But on higher education, the state provides about $4,300 per student in aid to universities, half of what it was a decade ago. That drop is even more pronounced for community colleges which provide post high school career and technical training, with per-student state funding going from close to $1,400 in 2008 to less than $400 today.
Ducey was unapologetic.
"If you've forgotten, we went through a very deep recession here in Arizona. We did have to balance a budget," he said.
Even as Ducey defended the level of spending for public colleges and universities, he left the door open to use state dollars to help students attend privately owned for-profit technical schools.
"What I want to see is somebody have a choice whether they want to go on to college, Arizona State, UA, NAU, Grand Canyon University, University of Phoenix, you name it, I want to see them have the accessibility to do that," said Ducey. "And I think that's important. And that's how our tax code should reflect it and our state's priorities."