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Arizona: David Safierlet

June 18, 2009 - 03:05 pm
NEWS FEED: Blog for Arizona

AZ ed to lose out on chance for part of $5 billion?

By David Safier

by David Safier
Let me begin by saying, Arizona is dead last in the amount we spend per student. Dead last.

You can't go any lower than last, so the best thing I can say about the R's plans to cut money to education is, it won't change our rankings.

We're Number 50! We're Number 50! (or 51 if you count D.C.)

But it may kill our chances to get a chunk of the $5 billion competitive grant fund Ed Sec Arne Duncan is dangling out there.

The Obama administration is warning it may withhold millions of extra stimulus dollars from states that use the money to plug budget holes instead of boosting aid for schools.

Read More at Blog for Arizona >
There have been 48 comments posted in response to this story.

June 10, 2009 - 10:21 am
NEWS FEED: Blog for Arizona

Can't we all just get along? Guess not.

By David Safier

by David Safier
Let me try to sort this out. Dem legislators don't like the R budget. Guv doesn't like the R budget. R legislators don't like Guv's sales tax increase, and they won't even dignify the Dem budget with a comment. Dem legislators don't like Guv's sales tax increase, because it's the wrong tax increase.

Have I left anyone out?

Who's on first?

The latest scuffle is around Brewer's 5 hour budget hearing, where she asked for "public input." R legislators say she stacked the deck, only inviting people who want to raise the sales tax. "A trough-feeding event," Burns called it. (Good phrase, Bob.

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There have been 31 comments posted in response to this story.

May 22, 2009 - 08:55 pm
NEWS FEED: Blog for Arizona

Brewer: Republican legislators "irresponsible"

By David Safier

by David Safier
Let the games begin continue!

Gov. Jan Brewer lashed out Friday at legislators from her own Republican Party for trying to fix the state's budget problems by taking $190 million from cities and counties.

"I think it's irresponsible," Brewer said of the proposals.

What? It's irresponsible to balance the state budget by throwing city and county budgets to the wolves?

Not according to Russell Pearce.

Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, said he understands that the cash will mean hardships for cities and counties.

But Pearce, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said this isn't like the state is taking dollars the local governments have collected themselves.

"The truth is, it's a state license," he said.

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There have been 57 comments posted in response to this story.

March 28, 2009 - 12:13 pm
NEWS FEED: Blog for Arizona

Depth more important than breadth in HS science

By David Safier

by David Safier

Let me begin with the caveat that studies are never conclusive. That being said, I find this one very thought provoking.

A recent study of high school science instruction concludes that students benefit from studying fewer topics in depth rather than lots of topics more generally. (The article is in Education Week, a subscription-only site.)

High school students who focus more intensely on core topics within their biology, chemistry, and physics classes fared better in beginning college science than those who delved a little bit into a larger list of topics, the study found. Observers say those findings could offer direction to developers of science curricula, tests, and textbooks.

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There have been 45 comments posted in response to this story.