[Arizona] Gov. Ducey came up with a clever plan to draw $2 billion over a decade from the state trust lands—a constitutional set-aside, established at statehood to promote public education, that currently holds about 9 million acres and more than $5 billion. The governor wanted to put that additional money directly into the classroom, rather than funnel it through layers of bureaucrats. Even with this outflow, the governor’s estimates showed, the trust would continue to grow in the long term, and its value would be higher in five years than today.
More money for schools with no new taxes: What’s not to like? A lot, apparently. Mr. Ducey’s plan disrupted the usual coalition of teachers unions and public school districts, leading some in the K-12 establishment—those administrators and union officials who have a way of soaking up dollars while doing little for students—to take the unfamiliar position of objecting to new education funding.
How could you ensure that the additional money would be spent only on classroom teachers? Money is fungible. And what were the objections of the educrats? The piece is short on details.
What’s missing are descriptions of the provisions to pass more $$ straight through to classroom uses.
More info. here: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2015/06/04/ducey-education-plan/28487427/