Education

• K-12 Education makes up 34% of the current state budget - We must demand Transparency, priority-based budgeting, outcomes focus, and accountability
• Learn and implement what is working - Charter Schools and Private Schools on average outperform public schools on almost every AIMS category
• Challenge with choices - Vouchers and Charter Schools provide parents and students with options, especially in underperforming schools and/or districts
• Choices include everyone - Our education reform programs are designed to provide real choices to low and middle income parents, especially those in poorly performing districts
• Our plan only provides vouchers to those at 185% of poverty level that are not already attending a private school
• Voucher funding can be accomplished with tax credits and should be expanded to include individuals as well as corporations
  

Arizona education faces many obstacles.  Obviously, the goal of educational reform is to foster innovation and improve the quality of education.  That reform must be cost conscious and meet priority-based budget requirements.  Increased spending does not necessarily yield higher test scores. 

To be competitive on a national and global basis Arizona’s well-documented failures in public education must improve.   Lack of consistent standards and massive inconsistency destroy our abilities as a state to have real transparency.   Without real transparency it is impossible to consistently improve behavior, outcomes and ranking.

There are shining examples of success demonstrated in a few schools across our state.   Leaders should recognize their successful outcomes and learn the processes and methods they have incorporated to be out front.  When competition, outcome focused leadership and clear and understandable measurements are taken, parents have the ability to select the schools that provide the best service.

Finding Additional Resources

• Corporate tax credit scholarships offer Arizona parents of modest means expanded educational options by encouraging private donations to private school tuition organizations. 

• Corporations can donate to school tuition organizations and receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on their donations.

• School tuition organizations can use the privately donated funds to offer scholarships up to $4,200 for K-8 students and $5,500 for high school students to attend private schools.
  

Only students currently attending public school or entering kindergarten are eligible for corporate tax credit scholarships.  Once a child has received a scholarship, she may keep it in subsequent years.  

Serve the Students

Ultimately, our education system should focus on how best to serve the students and should be directly responsible to the taxpayers that are funding education.   If programs provide better test scores at lower costs, it makes sense to include them as part of a comprehensive strategy to reform education.  And by learning from their successes, we can integrate their best practices created from the new educational marketplace to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness as well as the educational outcomes of all students.  Robert Graham will lead the charge to putting our children and their success first.