As the governor and Legislature get closer to a budget deal on school spending, the “Sunday Square Off” roundtable digs into a new report showing Arizona classrooms are in the throes of a crisis brought on by low teacher pay and high turnover.
The report, by Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy, shows:
-Arizona elementary school teacher pay is the lowest in the nation, when adjusted for the cost of living. High school teacher pay ranks 48th in the country.
-42 percent of Arizona teachers hired in 2013 left the profession by 2016.
-74 percent of school administrators said their campuses were experiencing a teacher shortage
The roundtable of Dan Hunting, the Morrison Institute policy analyst who was lead researcher on the report; Akshai Patel, CEO of the Phoenix Collegiate Academy charter schools; and Jennifer Johnson, of Support Our Schools AZ, a public-school advocacy group, break down the report and explain what they would do to turn the numbers around.
How to reverse Arizona teachers’ low pay, high turnover
Also:
-Why attorneys for Arizona’s disabled community are likely to sue Gov. Doug Ducey and the Legislature after they weakened laws that protect people with disabilities. My guest is Phil Pangrazio, CEO of Ability360 in Phoenix, one of the largest centers for independent living in the country.
Lawsuit in works after governor limits rights for disabled
-Why Frank Riggs, a former Republican candidate for governor, says he’s challenging School Superintendent Diane Douglas in next year’s GOP primary.
Schools chief Douglas faces new Republican primary foe