Page 7 - The Edge - Winter 2017

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NEWS & NOTES

BY DAVID LEWIS

Upgrades at AASBO and Overwhelming Support for

School Bonds and Overrides Produced Progress in 2016

With the New Year already upon us,
now is always a good time to take a moment
to re ect back on both the challenges and
opportunities that we have faced over
these past 12 months. I would have to
say, 2016 has been a most interesting year,
having brought about signi cant political
and economic changes at the local, state,
national and even international level. Did
anyone see Brexit coming?
We have also had some pretty exciting
changes here at the AASBO o ce, and
we are very pleased with the numerous
new directions we are going to be able to
explore with the hiring of Anabel Aportela
as our Director of Research. Working
in partnership with the Arizona School
Boards Association, Anabel is going to be
our lead analyst on issues ranging from
school finance and the impact budget
cuts have had on academic performance
over the last 10 years to various issues relating to special education
funding and the current capital funding shortage. “For the second year in a row, voters
We are also making a signi cant investment in upgrading and
improving the AASBO Data Collection Project, in which Anabel overwhelmingly supported local school
will be playing a signi cant role as well. is will enable us to
provide signi cantly more data-related information as we seek to districts’ requests for additional funding
enhance education funding down at the Legislature. Make sure you through bonds and overrides, with overrides
stop and say hello next time you see Anabel at one of our events as
we welcome her to the AASBO family. actually taking the lead in successful passage.”
Election results at the local and state level here in Arizona have
also brought some interesting developments, and in this case, they
were signi cantly positive. For the second year in a row, voters willingness to raise our investment in public schools. e successful
overwhelmingly supported local school districts’ requests for passage of Proposition 123 this last May is further evidence of
additional funding through bonds and overrides, with overrides this support and has, in fact, generated a very positive statewide
actually taking the lead in successful passage. discussion on what are the next steps (o en referred to as steps
Although there was very little change in terms of the political 4-5-6) in addressing our schools’ needs.
make-up of the state Legislature, this overwhelming support For all the talk of scal responsibility and conservative values,
for education funding at the local level will hopefully result in it is vitally important that we continue to stress the central role
an increased awareness by our policymakers of the importance an outstanding education system plays when it comes to economic
Arizona voters place on adequately funding our public education development and job creation in our state. We should all be
system. thankful that this message is nally beginning to take root within
e results at the national level raise signi cantly more questions our political discourse and it is up to all of us to encourage and
than answers, but we can at least be mindful that Arizona voters reinforce that message in all possible venues. Here’s wishing you
continue to show increased support for education funding and a and yours a joyous and prosperous New Year!

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