Many people are wondering where we are with the 2010 education budget? The past three weeks have been spent listening to educators, parents and students across the state, gathering ideas, setting priorities, and discussing technical school finance issues.
This month we made trips to Flagstaff and Tucson for Education Committee meetings. The House Education Chair made a trip to Safford to visit with all of the school superintendents from Graham and Greenlee counties. In addition, committee members met with parent groups from Scottsdale and Madison as well as the Higley PTOs.
Coming up this week is an education community meeting in Casa Grande as well as a weekend conference in Scottsdale with 125 education legislators from across the country to discuss education funding and academic achievement.
Finally, legislators are meeting in small groups to start weighing in on their individual priorities for the 2010 budget. For example, one area that many members have weighed in on is the option from the Appropriation Chairmen to cut $2,000,000 from gifted education. Virtually none of the money in the federal stimulus can be used for gifted children; therefore, several members agree that it makes no sense to cut the small pot of money dedicated to educating our best and brightest.
Stay tuned for more updates. We recognize that statute requires school districts to notify teachers by April 15 if they have a job next year or not. It would sure help districts out if we had a budget before then.
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