Pima County school superintendents and local business leaders came together this afternoon to tell state lawmakers that enough is enough—the continuous cuts to education at all levels have a detrimental effect on Arizona’s children and the overall future of the state’s economy.
At a press conference earlier this afternoon, there was a huge concern for the $30 million in possible cuts to Joint Technical Education Districts.
News of a budget deal between Gov. Doug Ducey and GOP leaders arose late Monday, and today the heads of Tucson Unified, Sunnyside Unified, Vail Unified, Sahuarita Unified school districts, as well as JTED and representatives with the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, demanded legislators to vote against it and persuaded all voters to put pressure on the state government to stop the abuse, and realize (as if it weren’t obvious enough already) that education, business and economy go hand-in-hand—there is no way to cripple one without crippling the other.
“JTED was a referendum approved by tax payers in Pima County, approved at over 70 percent across the board, a huge percentage of passing a bill that says ‘we want to raise our taxes because we want more money to go into career and technical education programs,'” said Alan Storm, JTED superintendent. “The current budget being proposed would take away 7.5 percent from every member district for every student (that attends) career and technical education courses and programs. Districts cannot possibly withstand a 7.5 percent cut on every one of their career and technical education programs.”
At TUSD’s level, that would be $330 per student that enrolls in a career and technical education course, according to TUSD Superintendent H.T. Sanchez.
Vail Superintendent Calvin Baker, whose district would lose about $2.5 million from its sponsored charter schools funding, said that JTED is the most successful partnership between education and business that has occurred in Pima County “for the last couple of decades.”
There was a common confusion: Ducey supports attracting more businesses to Arizona and fueling the economy, but defends a $104 million cut to universities, a $30 million cut to JTEDs, and about $98 million to K-12 (although overall funding would rise $102 million, Legislature Democrats say the number is misleading because the increases are largely driven by higher enrollment and inflation, and this budget deal actually means a $98 million cut to K-12 starting next year, according to The Arizona Republic), and pretty much zero, yes zero, state funding for Pima, Pinal and Maricopa community colleges.
Storm and all others present reminded lawmakers that the first thing businesses search for in a state is a skilled workforce, and JTEDs—quality education in general—are at the forefront.
A similar school district collaboration happened in the Phoenix area. And, as we speak, a protest is happening at the state Capitol.
The appropriations committees in the state House and Senate are expected to vote on the budget today, with a final approval in both chambers coming either tomorrow or Saturday.
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2015.
You guys are pitiful. Start teaching and quit whining.
Yes I am Rat, and I don’t know sugar about anything.
You get what you vote for. Never believe a very conservative Arizona politician when he say he is all for education. He means education only for those who can afford to pay for it. Disclaimer: I am not a “liberal.”
H.T. Sanchez is a race baiter and documented liar.
I know many Republicans who are appalled at this budget. Ducey was bought and paid for and now must do what he was hired for and Ducey does not think it is Arizona he is beholden to. Koch brothers are in there big time. Rich will be getting richer and poor, poorer. Very sad who think that is a healthy society. We need our political system reformed before any big changes will happen…. or maybe a miracle? I am ready for one.
Tell me how many hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars H.T. Sanchez is putting in his pocket every year to exploit illegals with the Grijalva’s?
An educated populace is a thinking populace. A thinking populace is a questioning populace. A questioning populace demands answers, answers the Republicans do not have. The Republicans in power do not want a questioning populace, so they are removing as much education as they can to keep from being questioned.
I am really glad the District is being as proactive about this as possible. This is anything but whining, this is a proactive attempt to change a policy that is bound to be disastrous to our kids. I certainly hope that those of you who are so vociferous about hating TUSD home school your kids, and without taking anything from the state (doesn’t that make you a government schooler) for your actions. From my vantage point within the schools, I can see where the funding cuts land, and they land on the heads of our kids, and our future. Shortsighted policies that are designed to fully pay off political backers by “sweeping” education and veterans’ housing budgets so that money can go to private prisons is UNCONSCIONABLE, reprehensible and immoral. Tax breaks to corporations that cause pain to our kids are cowardly and should make all of us embarrassed to be a part of this state. I am proud to see our leadership ACROSS DISTRICTS unifying to fight this monstrous plan.
I LOVE the sound of squealing pigs at the public trough.
I was at the protest yesterday in Phoenix. I am not a teacher, not a parent with children in school. I am a business owner. I am also a retired journalist, an Independent and a 4th generation Arizonan. After researching this state budget and figuring out the Governor’s carefully crafted shell game – I walked away totally speechless. This budget is bad! And the ripple effect will impact all of Arizona for decades if it is not voted down. The Governor has said “We all have to live within our means” – well then, Mr. Ducey, how about ending these lavish corporate tax breaks that have not delivered the high paying jobs promised. The words that comes to mind to describe the Governor – “DARK MONEY” and “RECALL”
Oh – and one other thing. Cowards live under the veil of anonymity. I have notices those who express the most vial comments always seem to have silly names like “What,Again” or “Rat” – I am proud of my carefully thought out and research comments – that’s why I am proud to identify myself.
Feels pretty good not to live in the shadows.
Nancy Montoya-Ijams – thank you very much for the illustration of Blind liberalism 101
Demonize, call names to those that dare challenge or disagree. Punish them. Make them pay. Keep the slop flowing.
Such a display of know nothing thinking. Education is not the enemy, ignorance is NOT bliss. At one time is this country, 1840-1860, there actually was a national political party, the Know Nothing Party.
The basic premise of the party was a strong, if not virulent, stand against immigration and immigrants. Sound familiar?
Now get this…1855 before the Civil War of 1860s. Abraham Lincoln expressed his own disgust with the political party in a letter written in 1855.
Lincoln noted that if the Know-Nothings ever took power, the Declaration of Independence would have to be amended to say that all men are created equal “except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.” Lincoln went on to say he would rather emigrate to Russia, where despotism is out in the open.
Want to know what is pitiful? People that express hate, disregard the fact that education is what has made this country great and refuse to acknowledge ignorance is the path to hell.
Want unemployment, jobs to bypass Arizona, low wages, poverty and more folks on welfare with no economy to pull us out? Then keep this drumbeat against education, job training, skill building and comparing free speech to whining.
But, thanks for expressing yourself. Just baffled at the crippled brain power wasted on this negative “conservative rhetoric”, no solid solutions there.
I don’t really support the massive cuts coming, and agree that it will hurt our children, however TUSDs miss use of funding and illegal activities doesn’t help. Sanchez can talk to law makers about the impact of these cuts , however what he can’t do is hold a press conference on district property , use the district phone system to robo call everyone, use district email to contact everyone to them to contact lawmakers. He is using district property for political gain, that is once again illegal , it doesn’t help the cause, and concerns me greatly.
I totally agree. Do not in anyway use the limited educational resources for political purposes. However, fight for our strong believe in a properly funded education system. There are plenty of private and public available venues. From the looks of things you can pass the hat just among business people to fund “political action”. Let’s not give anyone an excuse to degrade our concerns by any questionable use of taxpayer resources.
Brian, I have heard about TUSD’s illegal activities and I have researched them from lawmakers , to long-term employees and TUSD has never been accused of fraud nor convicted of fraud other than in places like this(an anonymous blog) that just say waste, …. blah blah blah. I have looked at the budget … I work in the schools …Have mistakes been made ? Absolutely… it is a large district (smaller than it was) and we continue to look for new ways to help children and refine what we do. Mistakes have been honest ones and fixed. Please visit the schools… hard working staffs of all levels… very few resources… books that are old and buildings that need repair. I believe this trashing of TUSD is all about desegregation which BTW is mandated that many in power do not want. Many do not want it at all which is criminal. Our last superintendent of schools was found blogging racists statements … disgusting. Fact. Thank God the voters kicked him out last year.
Robo calls were made because this budget was pushed through at break-neck speed and the taxpayers had to know what was going on ASAP. I am 64 and have taught since I was 21 in 5 states. I have never known a superintendent as committed to honoring all children and not wasting money. He made those robo calls for the children and I am appalled that you look at it differently. ANyone who has worked on an enormous budget as our state has, knows it takes a long time to refine each cut or expenditure. This governor knew exactly what he was doing by pushing it through so fast and many many people to this day do not know how this happened. I watch him closely and I think he is the shadiest governor we have had(other than Mecham).
Hakeson, I hope you have looked at the budget. Cuts to education… some restored. We have had cuts year after year after year. TUSD, as admitted by our governor ,uses its money better than most per child. Robo calls were the best use of taxpayer resources he could have done. It is his job to tell parents how the budget will affect children. Political gain??????? Dr. Sanchez wants to help kids and I think if TUSD goes down because of cuts, he will go down with it. You have got to be kidding me. How was he suppose to tell people… 53 million is going to private prisons on top of what we already spend there? That budget cut all colleges and universities down to nothing. He took away from k-12. He gave more to charter schools some of whom are learning to hide salaries and expenditures behind corporations. THis is what the governor’s budget did that our superintendent was calling about. Our superintendent got the community involved as fast as he could so they could see what the governor was doing. Never degrade how hard he worked to get at least some of those things restored. I saw some people get mobilized and called our congress and governor because of those robo calls and a chance to view the budget. The calls were made on Friday and the budget was finalized at 5:45 a.m. on Saturday morning. Those phones were burning as a result of those robo calls. They saved our children’s public education.
Community colleges still get nothing. Universities have drastic reductions but still they get some.
It looks like k-12 is fully restored but the schools are owed 1.2 billion dollars because in the past, the Arizona government took money from education and balanced budgets so people thought they were doing good never realizing the school systems were not getting what the voters voted for. I am surprised many are not in prison(legislators, past governors). And I never see that information here. I see TUSD does something terrible which is not true. So be aware there is a concerted effort to trash schools and lie about budgets. I do not think we are even getting any of the owed money that was reduced greatly for this year that they owe. The governor is adept as shuffling money around and making it look like he is doing something he is not. He is not pro-education or children. Many cuts still to services to children. Bad budget but much better than the one before the robo calls and the many people who protested and called legislatures.
I wrote this fast because I deeply care for children and education. Hopefully you will begin to understand the real climate in parts of Arizona regarding education. It is really sad so you will read lies. Please research them… I spend a lot of time doing that. I want the truth out there.
One big thumbs up for Robin B, thanks for going on record with first-hand knowledge on things many of us don’t see.
We may have some tactical differences, but I certainly agree with the trend of your message and call to our fellow citizens.
For the record, it is not illegal to call members of a school system’s community to tell them to look at the school system’s website to see if the governor’s budget goes with their values … I think it also said in education. Many of the big school systems in AZ did it because of the urgency. THey were not campaigning … I received one and it talked only about the governor’s budget and to go and view it. I think it also said and if it does not to go with their values please call their representatives ASAP. Thank GOd they did it. The governor certainly didn’t show the state on its website the budget that kept getting worse all last week and he sure could have if he wanted transparency. He didn’t want transparency at all which is why it kept getting worse and the only recourse the superintendents had was what they did.http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizon…