Save Our Schools Arizona

Weekly Education Report

55th Legislature, 2nd General Session

Volume 4, Issue 17 • Week of May 9, 2022

The Only Way Out is Through

It's been a tough few years for all of us, but particularly for our public schools. More and more teachers are making the difficult decision to leave the classroom because of extremely low pay and lack of support. Arizona children lack the resources they need to succeed.

And all the while, the Republican majority in our Arizona legislature is sitting on a record $5.3 billion in excess cash. Our state is at a standstill because, despite holding all the power, these lawmakers cannot come to consensus and use that funding to provide for Arizona schools, teachers, students and families.

One thing is abundantly clear: this Nov. 8, Arizona must elect a new legislative majority and governor who actually support and prioritize public schools.

It’s going to take a lot of work, but there is a clear path forward. The maps have changed, and redistricting has left us with 6 competitive districts. Electing 3+ pro-public ed state senators and 6+ pro-public ed state representatives means changing the balance of power for Arizona's kids.

The only way out is through. Put simply, the only way to change our legislature is to talk to voters and share our stories. Incredible change can happen when we connect human to human. Our kids, our schools, and our democracy are worth it. SOSAZ is already doing this critical work, and we need you to join us.

Be the first to buy a *NEW* #Vote4PublicEd car magnet!

bit.ly/SOSAZmerch

New to canvassing or phone banking? We’ve got you! We will walk you through it step by step, pairing you with an experienced buddy. Fill out this Voter Outreach Survey to tell us how you want to plug in, or sign up at sosarizona.org/volunteer.

We can't sit around and wait for this legislature to do the right thing for our kids — let’s get to work! Join one of our phone banks or canvasses and help us build a pro-public education legislature. Then stay tuned to our social media for more events & any breaking news. 

🌟  Use our one-click email tool to tell lawmakers NO to their incessant attacks on public education

Many of these could be brought up for a vote with less than one day's notice.

Attacks on schools, school boards, districts:

• SB1269 (Udall, R-25) is a last-minute move to rig the school funding formula to increase the disparity between wealthy and impoverished schools. Early estimates say roughly half of school districts in Arizona would lose money. Passed House Appropriations Committee, 3/28. Awaits House Rules Committee, then the floor.

Voucher expansions:

• SB1657, Boyer (R-20), is a near-universal ESA voucher expansion that pulls money directly from the Classroom Site Fund (created by voters to fund public schools) and diverts it to unaccountable private schools. Awaits House Rules Committee.
• HB2278, Livingston (R-22), expands School Tuition Organization (STO) vouchers and allows STO voucher companies to collude to give students multiple vouchers. Awaits Senate Rules Committee, then the floor.

Attacks on teachers & curriculum:

• SB1412, Udall (R-25), would ban teaching controversial topics in schools and drive further distrust of educators. Teachers could be disciplined up to losing their license, and school districts would face penalties of up to $5,000. Awaits House floor and final passage.
• HB2495, Hoffman (R-12), would ban students from using “sexually explicit” material in public school, even "classical literature" (which is not defined) or books for college credit without written parental consent. The bill ignores modern literature, art and history, and will drown families in permission slips. Awaits Senate floor and final passage.
• HCR2001, Kaiser (R-15), asks voters to amend the state constitution to include the "Stop Critical Race Theory and Racial Discrimination in Schools and Other Public Institutions Act." Awaits Senate Rules Committee, then the floor.

Watering down teaching:

• SB1159, Gray (R-21), would allow anyone who completes any teacher prep program to receive a Standard Teaching Certificate, and expands "subject matter expert" teaching to grades as young as kindergarten. This furthers the misconception that anyone can teach, and that it is not necessary to be trained in curriculum, classroom management or instruction. Awaits House floor and final passage.

Your voice matters! A simple phone call or email to your lawmaker asking them to prioritize funding for schools and responsible policies for education goes a long way. Make it clear that you expect well-funded and well-resourced schools where educators feel supported and students feel safe. 

For Arizona to move forward and thrive, we need these critical discussions! Find your legislative district here. Email and phone info is here for your representatives and here for your senator. Please reach out and make your voice heard.

Here are some other easy actions you can take:

• Sign up for a Community Action Team: East Valley, West Valley, Metro Phoenix, Northern Arizona,  and Southern Arizona! Your local coordinators will help you with using Request to Speak and contacting your lawmakers.
• Request an SOSAZ Education Roadshow presentation HERE
• Sign up to automatically receive the SOSAZ Legislative Weekly Report HERE 
• Get your #PublicSchoolProud shirt and mask HERE. Our 2022 Legislative Special is $20 to cover costs and shipping. Wear Public School Proud gear to show your dedication to well-funded public education in Arizona!