LD 18 Opinion: Let's expand public education

The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer. Nathan Davis is a Democratic candidate for the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District 18:

In April, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee released a report projecting a $5.3 billion budget surplus. Since then, the Republican majority in the Arizona Legislature has mostly put forward plans to cut taxes for the rich and expand vouchers for private and religious schools.

I’d like to put forward an alternative: put it all into our public schools.

I experienced the repercussions of the decision to underfund our public schools as a teacher: students not receiving the support they need, classrooms without working A/C in August, families and educators frustrated and dejected.

While campaigning for the Arizona House of Representatives, I’ve spoken with scores of families concerned about the state of public education.

After decades of systematic underfunding, it’s time that we elect leaders who will do more than just bringing public education funding back to pre-Great Recession levels. It’s time that we push for policies that expand what we mean by public education.

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I have three proposals that I will put forward if elected to the Arizona House of Representatives.

First, universal preschool for every 3- and 4-year-old in Arizona. Child care is a significant burden for Arizona families and preschool is too often out of reach. Studies suggest that the return on investment in preschool education is roughly $10 dollars for every dollar spent. Other states and Washington, D.C., have embraced the need to provide high-quality, public preschool. It’s time that Arizona follow suit.

Second, free two-year community college for every high school graduate. Most Arizonans live within a reasonable drive from a community college. For thousands, they are a gateway for higher education and job training. Every dollar invested in community college education leads to an average return of $5.40 for the student and $2.10 for the state.

Third, we must bring the per pupil funding for public schools to at least the national median and pass additional policies to support K-12 schools, students and educators.

The voters made clear in their approval of Proposition 208 that they want the state to spend more on public education. With the budget surplus, we can fulfill the will of the voters and fund public education based on the Proposition 208 formula.

Additionally, we must fund all-day kindergarten throughout Arizona; place a cap on class sizes and allocate the funding necessary to hire additional teachers and build and supply additional classrooms; and provide additional funding to programs like Teach for Arizona and Arizona Teaching Fellow to train and attract new educators.

With the current budget surplus, Arizona has the opportunity to radically invest in the future without raising a single dime in new taxes. Let’s not waste this opportunity.