One year after Ariz. Supreme Court decision, school funding still an issue

Some Arizona teachers, parents and education advocates are asking, “Where’s the money?”

One year ago, the Arizona Supreme Court found that lawmakers failed to adjust for inflation during the recession and ordered $317 million in funding be immediately released to public schools.

“Despite the ruling a year ago our state’s highest court has told our state to do this,” said Dr. Jeffery Smith, superintendent for the Balsz Elementary School District. “This has not been done.”

State leaders need to stop the delay and provide the funding due to public schools, he said.

In August, Judge Katherine Cooper formalized a ruling requiring the state to boost funding to make up for inflation. Cooper also set hearings for October to decide if the state must also make back payments to schools for money it didn’t provide starting in the 2009 budget year.

The judgment could cost more than $1.6 billion over five years. If Cooper orders back payments the number increases to about $2.9 billion.

Gov. Jan Brewer has said the state will appeal the judge’s decision, which likely will put the first payment on hold for now. But that hasn’t stopped districts from anticipating how they would use their shares of that money.

Valley fifth grade teacher Beth Maloney said she has seen years and years of class size growth with no end in sight.

“My 30 fifth graders have never had their educational experience fully-funded, the way the voters have voted for it, and the way that the law requires it,” Maloney said.

An October court date is set to see if the state has to pay back the $1.3 billion missed during that time period.