Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/348932
6 Fall 2014 x AEA Advocate AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL The 2014 legislative session adjourned with no real education policy of impact passing through the House and Senate. This alone is a victory for educators who have seen past policies handed down with no regard to the effect on the classroom. Success was achieved by working with legislators in both parties to defeat numerous policies that would have further drained state resources to an unaccountable private education agenda. The triumphs listed below would not have been possible without AEA's active lobbying at the capitol in support of public education. Without AEA's direct work with legislators, things would have looked much different for next school year. The 2014 elections bring forth new opportunities to elect pro-public education legislators so that a positive agenda for education can emerge in 2015. Fighting for necessary and adequate funding for public education as an investment in Arizona's children and its future. • Protected a school district's abilities to seek bond and override approval by voters and get a second chance after an initial defeat. [Defeated SB1254 and removed all negative provisions in SB1182] • Ensured inflation was funded for 2014- 2015 school year. [Passed in state budget.] Still await the outcome of AEA's lawsuit to require the base funding level to be reset due to failure to pay inflation in fiscal years 2010 – 2013. This would result in a $236.34 increase per student. • AEA encouraged Governor Brewer to veto a bill that expanded the corporate tax credit program for private schools (through donations to school tuition organizations). Governor Brewer vetoed SB1048. • Rejected an attempt to send a ballot referral to the voters which would have jeopardized Proposition 301/Classroom Site Fund dollars. [Defeated SCR1003] • Defeated the requirement for school districts to sell or lease unused buildings to charter and private schools. [Defeated SB1100] • Defeated numerous legislation attempts in both chambers to expand the state's private school ESA voucher program, including measures that expanded vouchers to more than 73% of public school students, higher education, and certain subgroups of students with parents in certain professions. Arizona legislators sided with the AEA saying that these large expansion measures were bad public policy and went too far. [Defeated HB2290, SB1236, SB1229, and HB2036] • Prevented a Gilbert School Board proposal to allow school boards to vote to allow their students to be eligible for the state's private school voucher ESA program and retain 25% of each voucher amount per student. [Defeated HB2256] • Passed clarifying legislation so that Superintendent Huppenthal cannot misinterpret statute on the private school ESA program and attempt to give charter additional assistance funds to all voucher recipients. [Passed SB1237] Maintaining and protecting a fair and secure retirement system for current and future school employees. • Protected the ASRS (retirement system) by rejecting an attempt to create a defined contribution pension program that would have left retirees financially unsecure upon 2014 Legislative Session Victories