ARIZONA NEWS

New survey shows where Arizona voters stand on education issues

Oct 10, 2024, 4:30 AM

Arizona education issues...

A recent survey shows where Arizona voters agree on education issues, which one organization believes can help guide state lawmakers on policy. (Pexels Photo)

(Pexels Photo)

PHOENIX — A recent survey shows where Arizona voters agree on education issues, which one organization believes can help guide state lawmakers on policy.

According to the Center for the Future of Arizona’s 2024 Arizona Voters’ Agenda, education issues that most Arizona voters agree on are:

1. Ensuring teachers are trained on reading skills.
2. Expanding access to dual enrollment and similar opportunities.
3. Holding private schools to the same financial and academic reporting standards as public schools.
4. Overall increasing funding for K-12 education.

It also found new areas where voters agree:

1. Increasing the number of students who pursue college or trade school.
2. Increase need-based state financial aid for post-secondary education.

Why do Arizona voters agree on education issues?

Executive Vice President Amanda Burke says voters want a higher quality and better funded education system, both for K-12 learners and those continuing their education beyond high school.

“We do have a disconnect between what Arizonans clearly say they want for the state and what we see happening in our politics and our policy solutions,” Burke said.

She says an example of that is this year’s decision by Arizona state lawmakers to cut funding to higher education institutions to balance the budget.

Which, in response, Arizona State University announced a tuition surcharge and the closing of their Lake Havasu campus.

“85% of likely voters say they want to see the number of students who pursue and complete some form of post-secondary increase, that’s overwhelming support,” Burke said.

Another big issue in Arizona education is empowerment scholarship accounts, or ESAs.

They allow students to take state money allocated for public schools to pay for other forms of schooling.

While Burke says their survey shows Arizona voters are far from agreement on the program itself, she adds they did find voters generally support increased oversight for how the state dollars are spent.

Like many of the issues facing Arizona’s education systems now, the concern is what a lack of funding now means for the future of the state’s economy and workforce.

It’s a common thread from local business and education leaders, but Burke says this data shows Arizonans recognize a education is the foundation of growing local economies.

Ultimately, she sees these spots of agreement among Arizona voters as a sign of hope.

“One of the things we find great hope in is the fact Arizonans, including across party lines, tend to agree on many of the big issues affecting the state,” Burke said. “But that’s not often what we hear.”

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New survey shows where Arizona voters stand on education issues