Arizona parents and teachers went to the Capitol Monday to request a public hearing on the upcoming state budget. Julie Erfle with AZ Schools Now, a public-school advocacy group, said they hoped for a hearing before it’s too late to to make a change.
“What we’re asking for is essentially to give parents that opportunity and educators that opportunity to make their voices heard," Erfle said. "We’re not telling them what we want them to say. We just believe that because education is such a significant portion of the budget those voices should be heard.”
Erfle said she believes that legislators need to create a more transparent process. She said they wrote a letter a few weeks ago to House Speaker J.D. Mesnard and Senate President Steve Yarbrough asking for a public hearing.
AZ Schools Now has been working for about a year to talk about reform for education funding.