Page 36 - The Edge - Fall 2019

LEGISLATIVE WORKSHOP
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35

school funding,” Essigs said. “You want to be on
top of how budget dollars are being translated
into changes of funding formulas.”
Preliminary budget gures indicate there will
be more than $100 million of additional funding
for formulas and more than $400 million of one-
time money available for projects for schools or
other state agencies, Essigs said. e additional
money is the result of revenue collections
greater than had been anticipated.
Teacher compensation is another topic that
will be discussed at the conference. e focus
will be on 2021, which is when Gov. Doug
Ducey’s 20% pay raise for teachers by 2020 will
be fully implemented. “ ere will be a review of
what that year will look like,” Essigs said, “and
where do we go after that. A major emphasis of
the conference will be teacher compensation,
and compensation for all school employees.
e issue of an increasing minimum wage that
is still being implemented continues to have an
impact on schools.”
In addition, presenters will discuss the
challenges school districts will be facing in the
future, such as having shortages of teachers,
speech therapists, bus drivers and all areas of
school employment. “As districts struggle going
forward, one of the things to look at will be
increasing salaries,” he said. “ at is certainly
important, and what other issues are out there
beyond compensation that prevent districts
from lling open slots.”
John Arnold, Executive Director of the
Arizona Board of Regents, is scheduled to
provide an update on what the regents are
looking at that would have an impact on K-12
schools, Essigs said.
A highlight of previous Legislative Workshops
has been the panel discussion of Democratic
and Republican members of the Legislative.
is year gures to be no di erent. Attendees
will hear from lawmakers themselves about
speci c issues that are being looked at.
“It’s always been a vigorous discussion,”
Essigs said. “ ere are always good exchanges
of ideas and positions, and it should be more
interesting with an election year just around the
corner. We should hear what their priorities are
and what’s likely to happen in the upcoming
legislative session. ere is no better conference
about what is happening and what is going to
happen at the Legislature.”

36 THE EDGE | FALL 2019