Page 34 - The Edge Back to School 2022

SUMMER CONFERENCE AND EXPO

BY DON HARRIS
Rebecca Bebee Chris Kotterman Dick Foreman
Panel Weighs In On Hot Education Topics

Politically astute panelists offered their views on do it well enough to be successful even if it is
the fate of a greatly expanded voucher program challenged.”
and a pending capital funding lawsuit, and what
to expect in the next legislative session. Essigs wondered what the biggest surprise in
education would be in the 2023 legislative session.
They also, at the AASBO Summer Conference and
Expo on July 23, hesitantly guessed who would Chris Kotterman, Director of Government Relations
win the Republican nomination for governor in for the Arizona School Boards Association, said
the August 2 primary election that was less than there are always surprises. But if the drive to put
two weeks away. voucher expansion on the ballot is successful, it
won’t be a surprise if Republicans are prepared to
Chuck Essigs, AASBO Director of Government go to war over the Aggregate Expenditure Limit
Relations and the moderator, asked the panelists and education funding in general.
whether opponents of the bill that expanded the
Empowerment Scholarship Account program to But, Kotterman said, “I’m surprised at how
all public school students would gather enough quickly the tone has shifted from give parents a
valid signatures to put the measure on the 2024 choice to you all are agents of the Left to make our
election ballot. If they do, the bill signed into children turn out a certain way. It’s a fundamental
law by Gov. Doug Ducey, won’t take effect until disconnect from the reality of administering a
voters approve or reject it. public education system”

Rebecca Bebee, with Arizona School Bebee recalled a senator’s comment about going
Administrators, referring to Save Our Schools to war if the voucher plan is blocked, saying,
Arizona, said: “They have proven in previous years “That’s what the last session felt like – a war on
that they can mobilize people to get signatures. I public schools. I don’t know if there are going to
do expect they will collect the signatures and it be any surprises. It’s going to be tough again.”
will be on the ballot in two years.” Foreman was a bit optimistic. He noted that
Arizona finally joined the 49 other states by
Dick Foreman, President and CEO of Arizona establishing a specific poverty weight for funding.
Business & Education Coalition, agreed. “For “It was something the business community
whatever reason there are a lot of people who was lobbying for – student equity in funding,”
don’t want to knock on doors, but tell them it’s a Foreman said. “No one anticipated that, and
voucher thing they want to get on the ballot and we’re not done with that yet. It will become a
they’re out there in 114 degrees. I think they can new continuing investment.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

|
34 THE EDGE BACK TO SCHOOL 2022