Two educators are vying for the seat of Pima County school superintendent in the November election.
The position has been occupied by Linda Arzoumanian since 2000.
The job, which pays $76,600, is not rooted in policymaking.
Rather, it is heavy with administrative duties including conducting bond and override elections, filling vacancies on school boards, overseeing budgets to ensure reporting is accurate, handling registration of teaching certificates and facilitating training opportunities for educators, among other responsibilities.
Burkolderβs stands
on the issues
The greatest challenge facing schools: Teacher retention and recruitment. All kids, regardless of where they live, should have access to the best teachers. Improve retention by supporting teachers financially and ensuring they have the power to keep control over their classroom.
Common Core: Supports the standards, which have made free resources more easily accessible online. Appreciates that schools still have the power to design the curriculum utilized in classrooms to meet those common standards.
The Pima County superintendentβs role in serving teachers: Offer meaningful professional development to support existing teachers in the classroom. She would also advocate for the state to give scholarships to top high school graduates to go into in-demand fields like teaching.
Convincing Gov. Doug Ducey that Prop. 123 was just a first step to improving education funding: Prop.123 was a Band-Aid, but more needs to be done. She would go to Phoenix and speak up when the state isnβt following the will of the voters.
Serving Pima County schools, not political parties: The most important asset we have is our children, and we know that. The children become the pawns, and kids canβt wait for adults to figure out how to solve problems. Kids need people that want whatβs best for them, not whatβs best for their political careers.
Williamsβ stands
on the issues
The greatest challenge facing schools: The stateβs failure to fund public education. While he has no authority to change salaries, he would advocate for stronger lobbying efforts at the state level to ensure the needs of Pima County schools are being met.
Common Core: Itβs a very good thing, but the politicization of the standards and calls to scrap them at the state level wastes time and money spent by schools that have worked to properly train teachers on how to implement them.
The Pima County superintendentβs role in serving teachers: Join forces with organizations that offer incentives to teachers, like home-buying discounts. Conduct needs assessments with schools and develop action plans to meet needs.
Convincing Gov. Ducey that Prop. 123 was just a first step to improving education funding: Hold legislators and the governor accountable for the oath they signed to uphold the beliefs of the constitution. He would work to ensure voters are educated and plead with the Governorβs Office to make sound decisions.
