Arizona Education Association

[lonestarnot]

Inside This Issue...

Adams' Jobs Bill Delayed
Education Bills
Voter Protection Act Under Attack
News Links
Adams' Jobs Bill Delayed
Due to an error in how the strike everything amendment was posted, HB2250 was not heard in committee this week and is scheduled to be heard in Senate Finance Committee on Monday, April 12, at 1:30 p.m. This bill implements numerous new tax cuts - including the reduction of business property taxes; phase out of the state equalization property tax (the school tax); and reduction of the corporate income tax rate. The fiscal note estimates a $648 million annual reduction to the state's general fund when fully implemented in FY18. AEA is opposed to HB2250. Read the bill summary.

Education Bills
A number of big education bills, including a 78-page omnibus bill, passed out of committees this week. Many of these bills are especially concerning because they have far-reaching impact and are moving very quickly through the legislature without in depth analysis to their implications. There are problems with implementation and funding for these bills and the only discussion has been to get these bills passed now and deal with the details later. While there are many bills AEA is monitoring, here are summaries of the big ones moving right now:
HB2725 - The education omnibus bill passed out of Senate Education Committee on Wednesday. This bill makes several changes to education statute including those pertaining to teacher certification, reciprocity, and proficiency exams. AEA is opposed to HB2725. Read bill summary.
HB2731 - The Move on When Ready bill passed out of Senate Education Committee on Wednesday. This bill creates the Grand Canyon Diploma and enables high school students to choose different pathways to education. AEA is opposed to HB2731. Read bill summary.
HB2732 - The Move on When Reading bill will be heard in Senate Rules Committee on Monday. This bill establishes competency requirements for the promotion of students from third grade and creates the Task Force on Reading Assessment. The concept is to not promote a student from third grade if he/she is reading far below the third grade level based on their AIMS reading test score. AEA is opposed to this bill. Read bill summary.
HCR2057 - This voucher bill passed out of Senate Education Committee by a vote of 3-2 on Wednesday. This bill would amend the Arizona Constitution to allow students in a failing school to use a voucher to attend a private school, thus addressing the unconstitutionality verdict from the Arizona Supreme Court in last year's voucher case. Senators David Braswell (R-LD6) and Paula Aboud (D-LD28) voted no on this bill, with Senators Leah Landrum Taylor and Linda Lopez being absent. AEA is opposed to HCR2057. Read bill summary.
SB1040 - This bill requires the State Board of Education to establish and maintain a model framework for a teacher and principal evaluation instrument that uses quantitative data on student academic progress for 50 percent of the evaluation outcomes. This bill passed out House Education Committee on Monday. AEA is opposed to SB1040. Read bill summary.
SB1404 - This bill requires school districts to provide eighth graders with a citizenship test until the student obtains a passing score. This bill passed out of House Education Committee on Monday. AEA is opposed to SB1404. Read bill summary.
Voter Protection Act Under Attack
HCR 2039 and HCR2041 target Prop 105, the Voter Protection Act. HCR2039 allows the state legislature to suspend voter-protected funding measures and HCR2041 would require state-funded initiatives to be automatically re-referred to the ballot every eight years. If passed this November, it means that Proposition 301 - the education sales tax from the 2000 election - will be referred back to the voters in the November 2012 election. The voters would have to re-approve Prop 301 at that time in order for it to continue for another eight years. Both of these bills passed out of Senate Appropriations on Tuesday. AEA is opposed to both bills. Read summary of HCR2039. Read summary of HCR2041.

News Links
Bill Would Allow State Funds for Private Schools
State lawmakers want voters to repeal a constitutional provision that now keeps public funds from going to aid private and parochial schools.

Early Graduation Option in State Moves Forward to Full Senate
High schoolers bright enough to pass a battery of tests could graduate as early as 10th grade under the terms of legislation approved Wednesday by a Senate panel.

Controversial New Test Proposed for Valley 8th Graders
If lawmakers get their way, students moving into high school would have to prove they know a thing or two about their country.

Yuma Legislator Tapped for Training
The Council of State Governments - WEST, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization serving western state legislators of both parties, chose Rep. Lynne Pancrazi, D-Yuma, to attend its training institute for lawmakers.

[Catshrink]

1. It's not looking too good, is it?

The problem is, by the time Arizona citizens that care about education realize what has happened, much of the damage will be done.

[Catshrink]

2. I have an idea

I really think Arizona legislators' pay should be tied to their abililty to pass a budget in a timely manner. They had something like 8 special sessions the past year. How much did that cost? And now they're wasting money on the HCR lawsuit. Yep. It's the Valley of the Dumb.

[jillan]

3. Is any of this ever on the local news?

I know it won't end up in the Republican.

This is awful.