SAFFORD — At Graham County Democratic Party headquarters Tuesday, Rachael Clawson, Digital Organizing director for the Save Our Schools Network, offered a presentation on the financial issues facing public school.
“I’m hoping that we can talk about our public schools in a way that is supportive of them, that highlights the achievements and the many wonderful things that comes out of them, but also discusses the vast needs that they have,” Clawson said.
Clawson explained to the crowd that public schools serve 72 percent of the children in Arizona, with 20 percent in charter schools, 5 percent in private schools and 3 percent homeschooled.
She said the recent expansion of empowerment scholarship accounts has put public school funding in jeopardy. ESAs take give state money originally intended for public schools to families, who can then spend the money on private school tuition or use it to homeschool their children.
The result is a projected loss of about $600 million from public school funding.
She also noted that private schools can decline to accept students — including special needs students — and homeschooling has no curriculum requirements.
Arizona currently ranks 47th in the nation in spending per public school pupil, has the second-most crowded class sizes in the nation, and the lowest average teacher pay in the nation. Also, the ratio of one counselor for 650 students is second worst in the country.
She closed by saying the issue education is nonpartisan, and it’s up to members of the community to reach out to their legislators about ensuring that public schools are properly funded.
