Arizona educators have been lobbying at the state Capitol, asking lawmakers to spend more time figuring out how to fully fund public schools.
Arizona Education Association President Marisol Garcia said there’s no sign a ballot measure to renew Proposition 123 is getting to the finish line.
“Put to the ballot a Proposition 123 renewal that would bring in over $250 million into our schools — new money," Garcia said. "That’s new money. It’s good, new money that we need to make sure that we meet the needs of every individual community.”
Prop. 123 is a voter-approved measure that expired last year and uses revenue from the State Land Trust to fund public education. Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs recently accused Republican leaders of refusing to seriously discuss its renewal.
She pulled back from state budget negotiations with Republican lawmakers over the issue.
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The Tolleson Elementary School District is one of several districts implementing new strategies to fight chronic absences. The superintendent says they saw a 12-percentage-point decrease in chronic absenteeism from the 2024–2025 school year to the 2025–2026 school year. -
The Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind failed to properly collect or recover more than $4.5 million in revenue, according to a three-year forensic audit released by the Arizona Auditor General’s Office. -
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has joined a multistate coalition that’s fighting federal changes to Head Start programs. -
The Scottsdale Unified School District’s governing board voted 3-2 to close two more schools Tuesday night. The district’s enrollment has declined by 26% since 2010. -
Diesel prices are steadily increasing, affecting school districts across the state. The price jump is especially felt in rural areas, including the Flagstaff Unified School District.
