Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1537479
AT THE CAPITOL 6 ADVOCATE | SUMMER 2025 I n March, hundreds of AEA members traveled to the State Capitol for Lobby Days focused on state policies that support strong public schools. Over dozens of meetings, we advocated for: • Protecting Prop 123 and State Education Funding: Nearly ten years ago, our members fought to pass Prop 123 and in- vest revenue from our state land trust into public education. With Prop 123 scheduled to expire soon, some lawmakers have proposed a renewal plan that includes an expansion of Arizona's troubled voucher program. AEA is pushing for a "clean" renewal focused on public schools, educator salaries, and district autonomy. • No Unfunded Mandates: Arizona schools are already under- funded. We can't afford more burdensome requirements or mandates that take time and resources away from our class- rooms. As it is, unmanageable workloads are contributing to educator burnout and our state's educator retention crisis. • Prevent Attacks on Educators, Our Students, and Our Communities. We call on Arizona lawmakers and Gov- ernor Katie Hobbs to block any proposals that would ban books, censor curriculum, or target vulnerable LGBTQ+ or BIPOC students. • No Cuts, No Lay-Offs, No Closures: Arizona's private school voucher program and out-of-control tax cuts for the wealthy are creating a financial crisis for our state. We call on state lawmakers to prioritize investments in our public schools and prevent school closures, educator lay-offs, or funding cuts for public education and other critical programs. In 2025, Governor Katie Hobbs stood with AEA to veto dozens of bills that would have hurt Arizona educators and our students, including: Speaking Truth to Power: AEA at the Capitol HB 2867 weaponizing concerns about antisemitism to weaken professional liability protections for educators. HB 2063 pushing parents to consider vaccine exemptions for their children. SB 1441 creating a partisan system for school board elections. HB 2610 stripping struggling districts of their most- experienced leaders against the wishes of the community HB 2375 requiring school districts to respond within 15 days to summertime disability evaluation requests without additional funding to support summertime staffing. SB 1002 and SB 1003 requiring teachers to get parental permission before calling students by their preferred names; encouraging the harassment of children who use bathrooms or changing facilities that align with their gender identity.