TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Education is a key part of the agenda for new Governor Katie Hobbs. KGUN 9 on Your Side talked to educators at the public school—and university level about the Governor’s proposals.
Governor Katie Hobbs says she will be pushing a list of items to strengthen education at all levels. So what do educators think of her plan?
Governor Hobbs made education a major theme of her State of the State address. Afterwards, she told KGUN 9 investing in public education has an impact far beyond the schools.
“We are growing the next generation of leaders and innovators here in Arizona and we need to invest in them. If we don't we're shortchanging our future. We're not creating the workforce that we need to continue to grow jobs here and grow the economy.”
Hobbs wants a task force to work on retaining more teachers, a plan to share school funding more equally among districts, more accountability for charter schools that receive taxpayer money, more school counselors, more support for community colleges and more state scholarships.
Margaret Chaney represents TUSD teachers through the Tucson Education Association. She says better pay would help retain teachers but it’s more than that. She says the school environment needs to change.
“Teachers get anxiety. Teachers get worried about their safety and about their children. They worry about their students, you know, they don't know day to day, there was a time as a teacher there, you could expect your class to come in may be noisy at first but then when you would, you know, clap your hands or say, ‘Okay, class, let's get started’. They turned around and they actually got started. And now, ‘No, you're not the center of attention anymore’. You know, the respect isn't there.”
After the Tucson State of the State speech, University of Arizona President Doctor Robert Robbins said besides sending resources to the universities he likes to see investment all the way back to where education begins.
“I would invest a lot in early childhood education, obviously, as she's getting at the K 12 school system, which desperately needs investment. And of course, we want to see the universities get investments as well. So I think it's a holistic approach, and I think she's attuned to what the needs that we have.”
Now the Governor has to win over state lawmakers to make her education plans a reality.
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
- Download our free app for Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, Alexa, and mobile devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Youtube
