Arizona's top education official wants the Legislature to be called into special session to immediately appropriate $400 million in new education funding.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas said Friday she wants surplus state funds to be given to schools as new funding in the current budget year. She says the cash would be in addition to the $2.4 billion in basic aid to K-12 schools in this year's state budget and should go to classroom teachers.
Douglas' call comes as pressure mounts on Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and the GOP-controlled Legislature to give more funding to cash-strapped schools. Douglas says school funding is the biggest concern she's heard from parents while traveling the state.
Ducey is proposing tapping state land trust cash to boost funding. That requires voter approval.
