Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/955848
10 ADVOCATE | SPRING 2018 AT THE CAPITOL B efore the legislative session began on January 8, 2018, education advocates urged legislators and the governor to back up their support for education with actions that increase school funding. AZ Schools Now presented options legislators could choose to enact that would invest $1 billion back into K-12 public education to provide sustainable, permanent and equitable funding for public schools during a news conference on January 4, at the Arizona State Capitol's lawn in Phoenix. "The business, faith and education communities are united in support for real and lasting investments in public schools – now," said Dick Foreman, president and CEO of the Arizona Business and Education Coalition. "This investment cannot be satisfied with fund sweeps, future promises or marginal action." "We are offering specific suggestions for a meaningful and welcome down payment towards the needs of our public schools and are ready and willing to work with the governor and Legislature to make this happen," Foreman said. "Of the $1.5 billion dollars slashed from public schools during the Great Recession, more than one billion is still missing," said Beth Simek, president of the Arizona Parent Teacher Association. Simek said her oldest son has spent nearly his entire time in school in underfunded classrooms, and she doesn't want her youngest son to go through the same experience. "An entire generation of kids — my kids, your kids, our kids — have had to 'make do' with overcrowded classrooms, outdated textbooks and technology, a loss Advocates Urge Legislators to Make Sustainable Education Funding a Priority this Session By Lisa Irish, Arizona Education News Service Beth Simek, President of Arizona PTA Speaks at the AZ Schools Now News Conference on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018 on the Senate lawn at the Arizona State Capitol. Photo By Brooke Razo/Arizona Education News Service