🔥 This week, we published an OpEd clap back to Superintendent Horne’s lies about the voucher program. Check out the full piece in the AZ Mirror, and read some highlights below:
“Tom Horne, our state’s Republican superintendent of public instruction, isn’t known for cozying up to the truth. But his latest attempt to spin private school voucher numbers marks a new low even for him.
Last week, Horne fired off a press release bragging that the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA), the formal name for the universal voucher program, couldn’t possibly be causing the state’s massive budget crisis because his department ended the year with a $4 million ‘surplus.’
That Horne brags about a $4 million surplus is utterly laughable. It’s like saying your irresponsible uncle (the legislature) gave you $600 (that he didn’t have) and you only spent $596, so now there’s a $4 surplus and you’re “saving money.”
Horne’s deceptive messaging ignores the reality that the Republicans who control the Arizona Legislature allocated nearly $650 million in the K-12 budget to ESA vouchers — money the state could have dedicated to the public schools Horne is supposed to support — and that is what is driving fully half of the state’s $1.3 billion budget deficit…
Absent [universal vouchers], Arizona would currently have hundreds of millions of extra dollars in its coffers to fund teacher pay raises and to lift Arizona’s public schools out of 49th place in state education funding. But Arizona doesn’t have any additional funds to spend, and instead faces massive shortfalls. In fact, this year the legislature was forced to slash funding for roads, water, community colleges, universities, and K-12 schools to balance the budget.
Horne’s false math is a shell game that attempts to distract from the ESA voucher program’s rampant fraud, waste and abuse. Horne would rather we not talk about the three dune buggies his department approved for voucher spending. He’d rather we look the other way from $1,800 Lego collectible sets, more than $100,000 in non-educational spending, ‘ghost students’ in fraud cases and the $10 million in taxpayer funds he’s using to advertise the irresponsible program.
… To position Arizona for the future, we must elect a pro-public education legislature that will rein in ESA vouchers, put an end to the fraud and abuse in the program, and shift priorities where they belong: to ensuring our schools are properly funded, our students have access to excellent neighborhood public schools, and our educators are finally paid what they deserve.”
Step up to help flip the legislature to one that supports public schools!
See the “Take Action” section for ways to plug in, or go to sosarizona.org/upcomingevents.
US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona kicked off a back-to-school bus tour in Wisconsin this week to highlight the importance of public education. Read his excellent OpEd here or excerpts below:
“Public education is one of the most powerful engines driving the American Dream. From our nation’s astronauts to artists, scientists to writers, engineers to musicians — countless young Americans have discovered their incredible potential in our public schools.
But for as long as public schools have been pillars of our communities and cornerstones of our democracy, there have also been people seeking to undermine them. Attacks on public education have reached a fever pitch in recent years. We face a choice between two visions for public education: one that’s ambitious and inclusive, and one that divides and leaves students behind.
First, there’s a profoundly hopeful vision: one where a local public school is tightly woven in the fabric of its community. In this vision, students get the quality core instruction they need to excel academically, teachers are well qualified and supported in their professional development, and every child’s mental health and social and emotional development is supported…
But in the Badger State, as in several other states, there is another, competing vision and reality: one where inadequate state funding for public schools has forced communities to raise their own property taxes to keep schools afloat and lights on. This is, in part, thanks to an extensive school voucher system – the first of its kind in the United States – where public money foots bills for private schools, often with little oversight or accountability for school performance.
… This thinking is not just out-of-touch with the lives of students and families today; it has real consequences. Underfunded schools, which serve a disproportionate number of disadvantaged students, already struggle to afford basic needs like school supplies, infrastructure upgrades, or fully certified staff, afterschool programs, and high-quality academic programs. Where does a kid growing up in a rural town, where public schools may be the only option, learn? What happens to the kid with autism, who is turned away from private schools who choose not to accommodate them? What happens to the students of color and first-generation college kids, like I was, who find role models, mentors, and new futures in their neighborhood public school teachers, coaches, and other parents?
… The future of public education for all our nation’s students is at stake. We must stand up to defend our public schools as the heartbeats of communities and democracy they are.”
We’ve been spotlighting some amazing #PublicSchoolProud candidates running for the state legislature and school boards across Arizona! Find all of our endorsed school board and legislative candidates, as well as Bond and Override information, at: sosarizona.org/vote4publiced/
This weekend, we are taking in the beauty of the Santa Catalina Mountains as we visit Legislative District 17! This Southern AZ district makes up parts of Tucson and its suburbs, including Tanque Verde, Oro Valley, Saddlebrook, Marana, and Picture Rock. This is a crucial district in this year’s election, with the possibility of changing both a State House and State Senate seat… and likely the entire legislature along with them! And good news: there are two fantastic #PublicSchoolProud candidates who have been putting in the work to make that happen!
Kevin Volk: Kevin Volk was born and raised in Tucson, where he attended neighborhood public schools. After graduating college, Kevin served as a 5th-grade public school teacher, completed an internship for Representative Gabby Giffords, and worked as an English language educator on a Fulbright Scholarship in Mexico. Kevin returned home to Southern Arizona and joined the family firm Volk Company before founding his own business to create affordable housing units for the community.
John McLean: John McLean is a 3rd-generation Arizonan who attended the University of Arizona. John and his wife returned to Tucson to raise their children because of the good schools and outstanding quality of life. John opened an office with Arete Associates to develop cutting-edge technologies for national security and has brought nearly $1B of economic activity to southern Arizona over Arete’s thirty-year history. He believes in true public service, where legislators put their communities’ interests above their own.
The Marana Unified School District straddles the border between LD17 and LD16, including Saguaro National Park West and the Picture Rock Petroglyphs.
Cathie Raymond: Cathie Raymond has 33 years of classroom teaching experience, including 16 years in the Marana School District. As a MUSD board member, her goal is to continue the progress of the district’s excellence and innovation with students at the heart of every decision. She served as Marana’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director for 16 years and was the State CTE Director for the Arizona Department of Education for 6 years. She currently works with the Tucson Unified School District with new CTE teachers.
Hunter Holt: Hunter Holt is a lifelong resident of Marana, a graduate of Mountain View High School, and the youngest individual ever elected to the Marana School Board. Hunter has served as a member of the Arizona CTE Quality Commission and the Marana Perkins Grant Committee and has lobbied in Washington DC to champion reforms aimed at fostering a better educational landscape for all students. Hunter is currently a senior at the University of Arizona.
If you live in the Tucson area, please support these amazing #PublicSchoolProud candidates this November! In the meantime — help us spread the word. Click on any of the upcoming events below to register now!
#TeamSOSAZ volunteers are fired up and contacting thousands of voters every week! THANK YOU to these 🤩 Knockstars and 🤩 Callstars (see what we did there?) for putting in serious work to elect pro-public education candidates!
Don’t sit out — get in the game and make an impact on #Election2024. Find an event near you and sign up here: https://sosarizona.org/upcomingevents/
Meet Paul, a social studies teacher and incredible door knocker. He started canvassing in July and has continued to show up since school started. Thanks for being a teacher and knocking doors with us, Paul!
NOW is the time to get involved with just 60 days until Election Day 2024: bit.ly/SOSAZvol
🔥When we elect a pro-public school Legislature and school boards this November, it’s going to be because of everyone who stepped up and stepped out of their comfort zones to talk to voters. If you’ve been meaning to jump in and get involved, NOW is the time. We have 8 weeks left to make massive change for our state and the wind is at our backs!!
Goodyear – LD 23
Sunday, Sept. 8 –
5:00-7:30pm
Chandler – LD 13
Tuesday, Sept. 10 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Phoenix – LD 2
Tuesday, Sept 10 –
5:00-7:00pm
Mesa – LD 9
Tuesday, Sept. 10 –
5:00-7:30pm
Goodyear – LD 23
Thursday, Sept. 12 –
4:30-7:00pm
Mesa – LD 9
Thursday, Sept. 12 –
5:00-7:30pm
Maricopa – LD 16
Thursday, Sept. 12 –
5:30-8:00pm
Yuma – LD 23
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
8:30-11:30am
Paradise Valley – LD 4
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
8:45am-12:15pm
LD 2 Spanish
Language Canvass
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:00-11:30am
Mesa – LD 9
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Casa Grande – LD 16
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Maricopa – LD 16
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Marana – LD 17
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Phoenix – LD 2
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:30am-12:30pm
Peoria – LD 27
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
5:00-7:30pm
Tempe – LD 12
Sunday, Sept. 15 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Goodyear – LD 23
Sunday, Sept. 15 –
4:30-7:00pm
Peoria Unified & LD 27
Tuesday, Sept. 10 –
5:30-7:30pm
Tempe Elem & LD 9
+ Maricopa Unified & LD 16
Wednesday, Sept. 11 –
5:30-7:30pm
Liberty Elem & LD 23
w/ Spanish Calls
Thursday, Sept. 12 –
5:30-7:30pm
National Voter
Registration Day
Tues Sept 17 –
5:30-7:30pm
Marana USD / LD 16
Weds Sept 18 –
5:30-7:30pm
Paradise Valley USD / LD 2
+ LD 2 Spanish Calls
Thurs Sept 19 –
5:30-7:30pm
Unable to join a
scheduled phonebank?
Access our Phonebank Hub
to make calls at
your convenience!
Goodyear – LD 23
Sunday, Sept. 8 – 5:00-7:30pm
Chandler – LD 13
Tuesday, Sept. 10 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Phoenix – LD 2
Tuesday, Sept 10 –
5:00-7:00pm
Mesa – LD 9
Tuesday, Sept. 10 – 5:00-7:30pm
Goodyear – LD 23
Thursday, Sept. 12 – 4:30-7:00pm
Mesa – LD 9
Thursday, Sept. 12 – 5:00-7:30pm
Maricopa – LD 16
Thursday, Sept. 12 – 5:30-8:00pm
Yuma – LD 23
Saturday, Sept. 14 – 8:30-11:30am
Paradise Valley – LD 4
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
8:45am-12:15pm
LD 2 Spanish
Language Canvass
Saturday, Sept. 14 – 9:00-11:30am
Mesa – LD 9
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Casa Grande – LD 16
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Maricopa – LD 16
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Marana – LD 17
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Phoenix – LD 2
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
9:30am-12:30pm
Peoria – LD 27
Saturday, Sept. 14 –
5:00-7:30pm
Tempe – LD 12
Sunday, Sept. 15 –
9:00am-12:00pm
Goodyear – LD 23
Sunday, Sept. 15 – 4:30-7:00pm
Peoria Unified & LD 27
Tuesday, Sept. 10 – 5:30-7:30pm
Tempe Elem & LD 9
+ Maricopa Unified & LD 16
Wednesday, Sept. 11 –
5:30-7:30pm
Liberty Elem & LD 23
w/ Spanish Calls
Thursday, Sept. 12 – 5:30-7:30pm
National Voter Registration Day
Tues Sept 17 – 5:30-7:30pm
Marana USD / LD 16
Weds Sept 18 – 5:30-7:30pm
Paradise Valley USD / LD 2
+ LD 2 Spanish Calls
Thurs Sept 19 – 5:30-7:30pm
Unable to join a scheduled
phonebank? Access our
Phonebank Hub to make
calls at your convenience!
💥 NEW 💥 #Vote4PublicEd 🗳️ Volunteer Training Series
New to volunteering during an election? Ready to jump in and make a difference? Check out each of the topics for the 6-part series HERE.
THIS WEEKEND!
Where’s the Ballot Party? Making Voting Fun Again!
Sunday, September 8 – 3:00-4:00pm
Next Session:
Paint the Town Red! Window Painting for #Vote4PublicEd Candidates
Thursday, September 15 – 3:00-4:00pm
Wednesday, September 18 – 7:00pm
Changing Hands Bookstore – Tempe
RSVP HERE: bit.ly/CowenCHB
Join SOSAZ in Conversation with Professor Josh Cowen, author of the new book, “The Privateers,” which lays bare the dangers of education privatization and the well-funded special interests who are pushing vouchers. We are so proud to co-host with Changing Hands Books Tempe – space is limited, so please RSVP ASAP: https://bit.ly/CowenCHB! You can pre-order your copy from Changing Hands Books, your local bookstore, or Amazon – it comes out Sept. 10th!
Thursday, September 26 – 5:00pm
Virtual
(Zoom link will be provided in the event!)
Join SOSAZ Network’s Co-Director Dr. Sharon Kirsch as she interviews the authors of the new book “The Education Wars,” Jennifer Berkshire and Jack Schneider. “The Education Wars” chronicles the extremists groups seeking to ban books, limit what educators can teach, and threaten the very foundations of public education – and describes how the millions of Americans who love their public schools can fight back! You can order your copy from Changing Hands Books, your local bookstore, or Amazon.
Check out some incredible pictures and stories from across the state that make us #PublicSchoolProud!
Know a story you think we should spotlight? Send an email to tyler@sosarizona.org to let us know!
At DiMiguel Elementary in Flagstaff, students in grades 2-5 participated in the first Lobo Learning Time! Students joined a club of their choice from over 22 options — from Choir to Newspaper, Astronomy to Gardening, Nature Journaling to Sign Language, students have a wide variety of enriching opportunities at DeMiguel!
Congratulations to Hadley from Blue Ridge High School for being selected as one of 24 students from around the globe to attend the School of Ethics and Global Leadership in London for the fall semester of 2024. The School of Ethics and Global Leadership is a “prestigious program that brings together talented students from around the world to explore complex global issues and develop leadership skills.” Way to go Hadley!
At Cactus Canyon Junior High in Apache Junction, students in the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program made inspiring posters to set a goal for how they would make a unique impact on the school this year! AVID is an academic support program designed to help students prepare for college and careers.
We are excited to announce SOSAZ’s *NEW* Public Education Defense Fund, which will protect Arizona students’ right to a safe, quality, accessible public school in their community.
Every dollar contributed to this fund will go directly towards electing pro-public education candidates up and down the 2024 ballot, from school board to the state legislature.
Donate to SOSAZ’s Public Education Defense Fund Today!
Building a strong Public Education Defense Fund is essential to fighting back against increasingly dangerous political agendas that threaten our students’ right to learn in safety, acquire a truthful understanding of science and history, and succeed in excellent public schools.
Your contributions will help us recruit, elect, and support public education champions running for local school boards and the Arizona state legislature, shifting the balance of power at the Arizona state legislature towards one that will prioritize, fund, and defend Arizona’s public school students, educators, and classrooms.
Thank you for helping us work toward a future where a high-quality, fully-funded public education is available to all Arizona students.
Don’t forget to join us on social media. Pick your favorite(s) and join us for fun, engaging content!! This is where we post important updates, key news articles, and informative graphics and videos you can’t get anywhere else.
Here are some other easy actions you can take:
