Arizona's public-school funding still battered by recession (Phoenix: job market, school districts)

[PhoenixAirConcerns]

Arizona's public-school funding still battered by recession

State's school districts cope in varying ways with cuts in funding

For those of you also have children or for others connected to children, I wanted to raise awareness of the problems we are having with funding at our local schools. I know different views exist on how to tackle the education problems we have in Arizona, but most can agree funding difficulties have become more extreme during this recession. Supporting reform or efforts to reverse Arizona's declinging trend is crucial for the children of this state. Overrides paid through property taxes is one way this has been done in the past.

Working together, we can make a difference on how Arizona's children deal with these problems. Highlighted is a recent story on Arizona educational funding problems from a local newspaper to give some context:

Arizona's public-school funding still battered by recession

[Boompa]

You must be kidding, trying to get a bunch of cranky old Tea Partiers to fund education is futile. Your kids won't need an education to work at WALMART or flip burgers

[twiggy]

I hear theres hope for "Baja Arizona". lol
Sorry, but your flogging a dead horse................! People are aware, don't care, and what he said above me. This isn't WI. ha ha
You go "Phxairconcerns"! I must say, you have persistence. For one, your screen name is a oxymoron.
Yet, you still go on fighting. Good luck!

[EnicAZ]

Informative post and article which focuses on local Phoenix struggles with education funding in the context of the State's funding mechanisms. As many already know, Arizona ranks 50th out of 50 states in per pupil education funding: Hear Me Out: Arizona education in jeopardy without passage of Prop 100? I offer my support to anyone who pushes to try and change the status quo on this.

[PheenixJobless]

Originally Posted by Boompa

You must be kidding, trying to get a bunch of cranky old Tea Partiers to fund education is futile. Your kids won't need an education to work at WALMART or flip burgers

Sadly a great deal of what you say is true. With the Phoenix area's dismal job market, skills such as those listed are not needed for most of the available jobs, most of which are service oriented. The area has tried for decades to bring non-service jobs to the area, but it hasn't worked.

[EnicAZ]

Originally Posted by PheenixJobless

Sadly a great deal of what you say is true. With the Phoenix area's dismal job market, skills such as those listed are not needed for most of the available jobs, most of which are service oriented. The area has tried for decades to bring non-service jobs to the area, but it hasn't worked.

This is something the Phoenix area is known for, low wages. I have been trying to work several other groups to try and change this fate, but it is hard going with competition from many other cities around this part of the U.S. It is hard to attract workers when our education funding is 50th in the country.

[shiphead]

Originally Posted by EnicAZ

It is hard to attract workers when our education funding is 50th in the country.

Hard to attract what kind of workers? I see a lot of job openings for the experienced computer science major.

[PheenixJobless]

Originally Posted by EnicAZ

This is something the Phoenix area is known for, low wages. I have been trying to work several other groups to try and change this fate, but it is hard going with competition from many other cities around this part of the U.S. It is hard to attract workers when our education funding is 50th in the country.

The last time I checked, Phoenix wages were 28th out of 32 for major metropolitan areas. It all makes sense with what we are seeing with job conditions. Hopefully people are fully prepared for how difficult the job market is here when making any decisions.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by EnicAZ

This is something the Phoenix area is known for, low wages. I have been trying to work several other groups to try and change this fate, but it is hard going with competition from many other cities around this part of the U.S. It is hard to attract workers when our education funding is 50th in the country.

I'm assuming there's a "with" missing here, but what exactly have you been trying to do, working "with" these other groups to "change this fate"? I'd like to hear about something concrete you are actually doing besides posting gloom and doom generalities on virtually every possible relevant thread on this forum.

[EnicAZ]

Originally Posted by PheenixJobless

The last time I checked, Phoenix wages were 28th out of 32 for major metropolitan areas. It all makes sense with what we are seeing with job conditions. Hopefully people are fully prepared for how difficult the job market is here when making any decisions.

Thanks for the post. I know it continues to be a struggle for you and others in the job market, and we are working hard to try and bring something besides low wage service jobs to the area. In the end, this is what is what would make Arizona a place for middle class families, but it is hard when we keep losing business interest to Denver, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Texas, Florida, and others.