Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey speaks on state’s K-12 education
Oct 8, 2018, 9:18 PM | Updated: 10:30 pm
PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said on Monday that he is not seeking approval for giving teachers a pay raise.
“If anything, I want to get credit for being a problem solver, a leader,” Ducey told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Mac & Gaydos on Monday. “And somebody who is delivering on a 20 percent pay increase for our teachers by school year 2020.”
Ducey announced on April 12 that teachers would see a one percent pay raise in fiscal year 2018, a nine percent raise in fiscal year 2019 and then a five percent raise in both fiscal years 2020 and 2021.
He ensures that changes will be made in the education system and called it the state’s “top priority.”
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“We have a plan for K-12 education,” Ducey said. “Not only do we want to prioritize these teacher pay raises, we want to see more money go into K-12 education and I have made a commitment that I wont sign a budget that isn’t over and above inflation spending for the next four years and bring the teacher’s academy to life.”
Ducey teamed up with the state’s three universities to launch the Arizona Teaching Academy last year which gives students an opportunity to teach in public schools and have the costs of their tuition and fees associated with their program covered. He insisted on Monday that he is working to satisfy the needs of the teachers of Arizona.
“I’m on the side of the teachers and that 20 percent pay raise has been advanced appropriated,” he said. “So anyone that wanted to change that would have to come in and undo that. After what we’ve been through the last year I can tell you right now ‘over my dead body’ is that going to be undone.
“These dollars are going to get to our teachers in the state of Arizona and we’re not going to check the box on K-12 education. This is the state’s top priority, it’s something I care about very much.”
With less than a month left until the Nov. 6 general elections, Ducey is running against David Garcia.
Garcia has expressed his support for public education, including more money for Arizona’s schools. But Ducey said on Monday that Garcia has no plan in place for education in Arizona.
“An education plan is something that’s been missing from my opponent’s campaign,” he said.
“We’re a chief executive that has had a plan and has a plan for the future.”
