Arizona is ranked 49th in per pupil funding for K-12 students in the U.S. It is a number that makes parents worry and teachers angry, and it will undoubtedly affect the entire state. This wasn’t something that happened overnight either, but it was the result of a continued government silence in the face of outcry from the educational community.
Why does it matter to us as college students that we are almost dead last in K-12 funding? Some of you might not have even gone to school in Arizona, and some of you may feel that it isn’t your problem, or don’t care about politics in general. I want to challenge you, however, because our society is interconnected, and one day K-12 students will be a big part of our workforce. If we don't properly educate them, we cannot expect Arizona's economy to fair well, and when corporations who create jobs see how poorly we are educating our students, they won't come here.
In 2000, Arizona voted that K-12 education spending needed to be maintained with inflation, but once the recession hit, state officials ignored the voter passed mandate. The state ignored it for so long that the schools were forced to file a lawsuit. Eventually this resulted in a settlement agreement, and the creation of Proposition 123.
Even if Prop 123 is passed, which would insert $3.5 billion over the next 10 years, it takes Arizona schools from 49th in per-pupil spending, to 49th in per pupil spending. With an additional $350 million a year, Arizona still does not pass the next state in funding. That is how far behind Arizona is behind from the rest of the pack in educational spending, and it is scary. If our state spending on K-12 schools remains this way it will inevitably come back to hurt our economy, and if we don't do anything about it now, then when?
Looking at Arizona's recent history, we have done better than this. In 1960 we were ranked 19th in per pupil spending, in 1970 we were ranked 29th and in 1980 we were 28th. Even in 1990 one of our worst years, we were 38th.
To add to the already grim situation, in 2014 over 900 teaching positions were filled by long term subs. This is what is described as a teacher shortage, and it's time for our government leaders to address it.
It is time for us to get involved, and we can. This Friday, Support Our Schools will be hosting a rally down at the state capitol at 10 a.m. to support more funding for K-12 education, and we need to support them. ASU students, this is our chance to make an impact, and help change the trend of spending in our state. Let's support our local community, because one day these students are going to be drivers of our economy.
They are going to be taxpayers, and we need to make sure that they are prepared to be successful in the future. Under-educating them is not the way we are going to grow Arizona's economy, especially when jobs are going to require more higher education as well as specialized education. If we fail to educate these students, it may not hurt our economy immediately, but it will negatively affect the future of our State's economy.
Let's make a difference, and do something about this crisis, because just as our previous generations invested in us, so too must we now invest in them.
“Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.”- Walter Cronkite
Related Links:
Reforming K-12 education for the better
Ducey inherits mixed education legacy, unlikely to enact needed reforms
Reach the columnist at jarwood@asu.edu or follow @jimsthebeast on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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