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 The Republican governor acted quickly in approving a three-bill
package to provide new funds for kindergarten through 12th grade
students in public and charter schools, pending a special election.
About 60 percent of the money would come from the state land trust
fund, with the remainder from the general fund.
“These are real dollars that will have a real impact in the everyday
lives of our kids and teachers,” Ducey said at a signing ceremony.
“These are dollars our kids and teachers will see.”
Arizona saw a decrease to its per-pupil funding during the economic
downturn nearly a decade ago. The plan would settle a lawsuit filed
in 2010 by a coalition of school districts and organizations against
the state government for cutting inflation adjustments to education
during the recession.
 The formal signing, considered to be a certainty, came roughly an
hour after the Arizona Senate approved the measures following a
three-day special session. The state House passed the bills on
Thursday night.
Staffers for the governor helped craft the compromise deal with
education officials who sued the state over not funding the schools
for annual inflation increases as required by a voter-approved law.
Voters now have to approve the measures at a May 17 special
election. If the package fails, officials said the lawsuit would
continue.
“This ends the lawsuit, so finally we can stop paying lawyers and
start paying teachers,” the governor said.
Arizona’s highest court had unanimously ruled for the plaintiffs and
the court case was being appealed by the state.
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Under the settlement, the state would raise the payout to schools by
$173 per pupil to $3,600, amounting to 72 percent of what a judge
had ruled should go to schools.
Additional funds annually would be paid to cover inflation, although
these payments could be skipped during certain tough economic times.
“This is just the beginning of trying to correct the educational
challenges of our schools caused by the lack of state financial
support,” said Timothy Ogle, executive director of the Arizona
School Boards Association.
Several Democrats had opposed the funding plan, and among other
things were wary of using money from the state land trust fund and
seeking a more immediate funding boost. Their efforts to amend the
bills all were defeated.
(Editing by Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Kim Coghill)
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