Trump’s Massive ED Cuts 😡
Trump attempts to dismantle Dept. of Ed. AG Mayes sues. Join us Tuesday for a special town hall with Congressman Greg Stanton!
This week, the Trump administration made massive cuts and layoffs in the US Dept. of Education — stifling its ability to support public schools and our students. The Trump administration is gutting resources that help students learn, threatening to strip teachers of necessary funding, and abandoning its responsibility to ensure every child has access to a quality education. And they’re attempting an end run around Congress, despite Trump’s Education Secretary Linda McMahon saying shuttering the Dept. of Ed is the duty of Congress.
Why does it matter? Make no mistake — this is not just an attack on “bureaucracy,” and it’s not in any way going to make anything more efficient. Let’s call this what it is: a direct assault on millions of students, teachers, and families. Trump’s actions have already triggered mass layoffs, with thousands of Dept. of Ed employees losing their jobs overnight. Many of those laid off are lawyers who work to oversee and protect the civil rights of America’s students. Others run programs to fund school meals, after-school tutoring, and major programs like IDEA for students with disabilities and Title I for low-income students.
Join us THIS Tuesday, March 18 at 6:30pm PT
Emergency Townhall on ED Cuts w/ Congressman Stanton
Virtual – Space is limited to 500 – Register here!
💥Mayes files suit against Trump’s ED Cuts: AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes joined a lawsuit with 21 Democratic attorneys general who sued the Trump administration on Thursday over its firing of more than 1,300 Dept. of Ed workers, saying that the dismissals were “illegal and unconstitutional.” The cuts to the department’s staff will cause a delay in “nearly every aspect” of K-12 education in their states, the attorneys general said in their suit. Therefore, the coalition is seeking a court order to stop what it called “policies to dismantle” the agency, arguing that the layoffs are just a first step toward its destruction. The attorneys general argued in their Education Department suit that the executive branch “does not have the legal authority to unilaterally incapacitate or dismantle it without an act of Congress.”
What are the impacts for Arizona?
This means federal education funding streams are left in limbo, and local principals, school board members, and superintendents will be left scrambling as schools across the country face enormous uncertainty about the resources they rely on to get kids what they need. In a state as dramatically underfunded as Arizona, any cuts or freezing of federal funds is a death knell for public schools. Arizona could lose $957,000,000 a year in Title I, IDEA, Impact Aid, and other grants.
👀 Watch as Brahm Resnik explores what the gutting of the Dept. of Ed will mean for Arizona — and Supt. Tom Horne stakes his claim that he should be in charge of allocation of any federal funds “returned” to the state. Whether the Legislature or the ADE assumes this role, we can be sure that funding will not be equitably distributed — and funding will most certainly be funneled to private schools via vouchers.
It’s about vouchers and privatizing schools (of course).
The Trump administration is falsely framing dismantling the Dept. of Ed as “returning control to states.” In reality, that means block grants, one of MAGA’s scams to defund schools. We’ve seen this playbook before: block grants voucherize funding, allowing politicians to slash public education funding while diverting federal funds to private schools with no accountability. Block grants are a scam that will defund public education and leave struggling schools even worse off, depriving students — especially those in underfunded urban, rural, and suburban communities — of the support they need to succeed.
🏫🎒🧑🏫 All the news you need to know from this week in one quick read:
😡 New ESA Voucher Handbook Fails to Add Accountability: Superintendent Horne’s revised parent handbook has missed a key opportunity to improve accountability for taxpayers in the off-the-rails, $1 billion ESA voucher program. The newly proposed version of the handbook imposes absurd limits that further the already rampant waste of taxpayer dollars in the program. For example, the handbook suggests a limit of $4,000 for musical instruments, $2,500 for PE equipment, and $500 for appliances over 3 years. It also allows for $2,500 playgrounds and $3,000 Smart Boards per child, while Arizona's public schools struggle to fund basics like copy paper. Arizona taxpayers want their public funds to go to public schools where these costly goods can be used year over year, giving an actual return on investment — not to fund personal refrigerators, home gyms, playgrounds, pianos and kayaks for the whole family.
🙄 ‘Jesus is better than a psychologist’: Arizona Republicans want chaplains to be in public schools. That’s right — after gutting funding for K-12 schools (and their mental health programs and professionals) and accusing public school teachers of “indoctrinating” students, Republican politicians are pushing to bring religious chaplains into the same schools to provide counseling to students. “I think Jesus is a lot better than a psychologist,” Rep. David Marshall, R-Snowflake, said during a House Education Committee hearing. We’d like to keep the wall up between church and state, thankyouverymuch.
Here are some quick but critical actions you can take to support public education and stand up against the MAGA attacks on students, educators and public schools.
Tell Congress to Protect Public Ed:
Contact your US Senators & Representatives to urge them to protect the US Department of Education and the MILLIONS of vulnerable students who rely on the protections and funding it provides.
📧 EMAIL: Use our one-click email tool: bit.ly/SaveUSEdDept
☎️ CALL: Use this easy click-through calling tool: bit.ly/SaveDeptEd
⏱️Deadline incoming: It's March at the legislature! We can expect lawmakers to hear many bills in committees over the next two weeks. The deadline for House bills to be heard in Senate committees and Senate bills to be heard in House committees is next Friday, March 28. Lawmakers must publish their committee agendas 5 business days before the hearings, which means bills must be on agendas by the end of this week to have a chance of becoming 2025 law (at least by conventional means).
💰Budget (not) brewing: The calendar says we're roughly halfway through the 2025 session. Monday marks day 56 of what is supposed to be a 100-day session. However, that hasn't been true in decades. Regardless of who sits in the governor's office, Arizona rarely passes a budget before mid-May. Yet Rep. David Livingston (R-28) said this week that his "goal is to pass a budget and sine die before May 1." He acknowledged that budget negotiations haven’t even started yet, but said budgets "can happen very fast" and implied that Hobbs will quickly agree to Republican lawmakers' priorities. (Republicans first saw Gov. Hobbs' executive budget proposal on January 17.) We won’t hold our breath.
😣Families hung out to dry: Meanwhile, Republican politicians continue squabbling with the governor over the crisis brewing in the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), which has been defunded in part due to over-budget vouchers. The agency is projected to run out of funds by April 30, leaving families of ultra-high-need children high and dry. Last week, Gov. Hobbs cited a “dramatic spike” in spending on Arizona’s ESA voucher program and noted that next year's updated state budget now includes nearly $50 million in unbudgeted voucher spending. Rep. David Livingston (R-28) called the spiraling voucher cost an "adjustment" and part of the normal budget process, then in the next breath said families' needed supplemental DDD funding was a sign of poor fiscal management on Gov. Hobbs' part 🙄 Then, Rep. John Kavanagh (R-3) said the crisis was an “excellent incentive to get the governor to engage in budget negotiations.” It's become clear that Republicans are using kids as political pawns in a game of budgetary chicken. For our part, we'd like to see less voucher drain, and less exploitation of vulnerable families for partisan gain.
😡Another bad ballot measure: This week, with long committee agendas on most days, the full House and Senate voted on fewer bills. However, they still found time to advance HCR2025 along party lines, with only Republicans in support. This copy of a failed bill from last year asks voters to restrict their own direct democracy powers by requiring a supermajority vote on constitutional amendments. As a referral, it would circumvent the governor's veto and proceed directly to our 2026 ballots. The bill now awaits a Senate committee assignment.
🤷♀️What's up with the “block grant” (aka, voucher) bill? Lawmakers refused to pass HB2814 out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday. This incredibly harmful bill would allow the legislature to direct federal funding if Trump dissolves the Department of Education, enabling them to redirect Title I and IDEA funds to private school vouchers with no strings attached. When Hildy Angius (R-30) joined all Democrats in opposition (without explaining her vote), the bill failed. Senate Appropriations chair John Kavanagh (R-3) held HCR2015, a copy of HB2814 written as a ballot referral to circumvent the governor's veto, rather than see it fail also — but both bills are back on the Senate Appropriations Committee agenda for this coming week.
🥳A bit of good news: Senate lawmakers refused to advance SB1028, which would have reinstated high-stakes testing to graduate from high school, on the Senate floor this past week. The bill was a priority for state Supt. Tom Horne, who promoted a similar bill last year (which also failed to pass). Republican senators Hildy Angius, Shawnna Bolick and Carine Werner joined all Democrats in voting no, killing the bill.
Each bill we tell you about from this point forward has passed at least one chamber, putting it that much closer to passage or veto — and making it that much more important that you weigh in!
🛑 Use Request to Speak on the following bills:
👎 NO on SB1036
👎 NO on SB1097 • 👎 NO on SB1301
👎 NO on SB1371 • 👎 NO on SB1534
👎 NO on SCR1009 • 👎 NO on HB2113
👎 NO on HB2167 • 👎 NO on HB2601
👎 NO on HB2610
👎 NO on HB2640 • 👎 NO on HB2814
👎 NO on HB2867 • 👎 NO on HCR2015
👎 NO on HCR2042 • 👎 NO on HCR2057
SB1036, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would expand an existing law that bans cities, counties and school districts from using taxpayer dollars to convince voters to cast their ballots a certain way. Any Arizona resident could file suit, and if they win, that resident would get a $5,000 taxpayer-sponsored reward. The sponsor says he's looking to encourage these lawsuits to combat what he sees as an increasingly prevalent problem, and isn't concerned about frivolous suits. Scheduled for House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1097, sponsored by Jake Hoffman (R-15), would require public district schools to be closed on every regular primary and general election day and to provide their gymnasiums for use as polling places upon request. Teachers would be required to attend inservice training and banned from taking a vacation day, presumably to keep them from working the polls. Arizona and the nation are already struggling to find enough election workers; it makes no sense to legislate a ban on teachers doing their patriotic duty — to say nothing of the disruption this would cause to families. Whether schools offer their space for elections should be left up to local control. Similar to a bill from 2023 that Gov. Hobbs vetoed. Scheduled for House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1301, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would require SBE to add Asian American history to its instruction requirements for K-12 public schools. State lawmakers shouldn’t be establishing curriculum; that should remain the purview of those trained in curriculum development who understand history and pedagogy. Furthermore, this is another unfunded mandate for public schools but not private, voucher-funded schools. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1371, sponsored by JD Mesnard (R-13), would lower the amount of income tax that seniors have to pay on 401(k) and IRA income. The bill's fiscal note estimates the cost at nearly $400 million a year. Using a revolving cast of sympathetic recipients, Republicans have for decades systematically slashed state revenues, increasing tax carve-outs from $16 billion in 2014 to nearly $30 billion in 2024. Tax cuts hurt Arizona’s ability to properly fund our public schools and services, especially because our laws encourage one-way ratcheting: the legislature can reduce them with a simple majority but needs a two-thirds supermajority to raise them. As a result, our budget is one of the smallest per capita in the US, and our schools are funded at 49th in the country. Scheduled for House Ways & Means Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1534, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would allow for more partisan ballot language, transferring the responsibility for preparing the summary of ballot initiatives and referenda from the Secretary of State to the Legislative Council and removing the requirement for the Attorney General to approve the summaries. This is yet another effort to suppress the citizens' initiative and referendum process granted by our state constitution. Scheduled for House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SCR1009, sponsored by JD Mesnard (R-13), would ask voters to amend the Arizona Constitution to require a two-thirds supermajority vote in the Legislature for fees and assessments. A similar Constitutional provision for taxes has withered the general fund over decades, making it nearly impossible to fund our state’s many needs and priorities, including public schools. Scheduled for House Ways & Means Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
HB2113, sponsored by Nick Kupper (R-25), would ban the display of certain flags in Arizona schools, such as LGBTQ+ Pride and Black Lives Matter flags. Critics say the ban will cause BIPOC and LGBTQ+ students to feel uncomfortable or unsafe in school simply for being who they are. The bill is written so broadly, it apparently bans everything from flags of favorite sports teams in locker rooms to international flags in language classrooms. The House's nonpartisan attorneys also warn the bill may violate First Amendment free speech protections. Scheduled for Senate Government Committee, Wednesday (held 3/5, committee cancelled 3/12). OPPOSE.
HB2167, sponsored by Matt Gress (R-4), would ban school districts from holding an override election for one year if they fail to correct a financial reporting deficiency within 90 days of receiving notice from the auditor general. The bill also penalizes districts by removing 1% per month of the district's budget after 18 months until the Auditor General reports compliance. This unnecessarily punitive bill is inspired by troubles which have been uncovered and solved thanks to the robust accountability requirements in place for public schools. Meanwhile, ESA vouchers are costing our state $1 billion every year with zero accountability. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
HB2601, sponsored by Nick Kupper (R-25), would exempt individuals under the age of 18 from state income tax if their Arizona gross income is less than $50,000, regardless of income source or nature, beginning in 2026. Minors rely on public transportation, roads, schools, and other services in order to join the workforce and should support these public goods like everyone else. The fiscal note estimates the move would cost the General Fund $8 million per year; it also notes that the estimate is "uncertain," likely lowballed. Scheduled for Senate Appropriations Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.
HB2610, sponsored by Matt Gress (R-4), would require the superintendent and school board members of school districts placed under receivership (a situation where someone takes over the district's finances and operations, overriding decisions of the local board and superintendent) to be fired and replaced. The sponsor has said his bill is intended to punish districts like Isaac for their troubles and means it as a warning for all public schools. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
HB2640, sponsored by Matt Gress (R-4), incentivizes local public schools to sell their campuses to private schools, accelerating school privatization and hurting neighborhood schools. The bill is the sponsor's response to Phoenix El's decision to not renew a lease for ASU Prep; the building was leased below fair market value for years before the board voted to terminate the lease. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
HB2867, sponsored by Michael Way (R-15), would ban public schools from teaching, promoting, funding or training students in antisemitic conduct. The bill does not define "antisemitism," but does say it creates "a hostile educational environment" — which is often coded language for avoiding any discussion that deals with thought-provoking or difficult subjects. Students and parents could sue for damages, and the bill specifies that teachers would be personally liable, which would lead to frivolous lawsuits. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
HB2814 and HCR2015, sponsored by Lisa Fink (R-27), would ask voters to amend the Arizona Constitution to let the legislature direct federal funding however they wish if Trump dissolves the Department of Education and turns the money into block grants to states for them to spend as they please, with no strings attached. This could allow the state to redistribute Title I and IDEA funds to private school vouchers with no strings attached. As a ballot referral, HCR2015 would circumvent the governor's veto. These are once again scheduled for Senate Appropriations Committee, Tuesday; last week HB2814 FAILED 5-5 after Hildy Angius (R-30) voted no without explanation, and HCR2015 was then HELD. OPPOSE.
HCR2042, sponsored by Steve Montenegro (R-29), would ask voters to enshrine racism in the state Constitution. This culture-war-driven measure would prevent the state from giving BIPOC-owned businesses any preference in state contracts, keep school districts from specifically hiring black or brown teachers in an effort to increase representation, block teachers from discussing inclusion and equity issues that have arisen despite the 14th Amendment, and ban certain content from being taught in schools. This would negatively impact student learning, as well as teacher retention and recruitment. The legislature would be allowed to also "prescribe related practices or concepts" to ban. Scheduled for Senate Government Committee, Wednesday (committee was cancelled last week). OPPOSE.
HCR2057, sponsored by Rachel Keshel (R-17), would ask voters to restrict Arizona’s initiative and referendum process by requiring that ballot measures collect signatures from a percentage of voters in all of Arizona’s 15 counties. This would effectively give any single county veto power over the rest, allowing the most extreme area of the state to veto measures that have broad support. Motivated by majority lawmakers’ increasing frustration with voters going around them to pass initiatives lawmakers don’t like. Voters just rejected a similar measure, the "dangerous" Prop 134, in November. Scheduled for Senate Judiciary Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
✅ The SOSAZ 2025 Bill Tracker contains full information about all bills SOSAZ supports or opposes in 2025 and gives you up-to-the-minute information on where these bills stand.
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Email Gov. Hobbs & your lawmakers to urge them to do their constitutional duty and invest in Arizona’s public schools! Our easy-to-use, one-click email tool is preloaded with SOSAZ’s legislative priorities, but we also encourage you to customize your email for maximum impact.
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Get your tickets now – the clock is ticking!!
Less than 2 Weeks!! 🎉Join us for our 2nd annual Celebration of Arizona’s Public Schools gala on March 29, 2025 at the Madison Performing Arts Center! Our special guests will be Dr. Dawn Demps & Jess Piper. We will have delicious food and drinks, student performances, awards for incredible educators, and so much more! Tickets are on sale now for $100. Get yours before they sell out — and if you’re an educator or student, we welcome you to use the code EDUC8 to receive 50% off (select “unlock” to enter the code). PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
SOSAZ Network Book Club The SOSAZ Network Book Club meets March 23 to wrap up discussion on Punishing for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal by Bettina L. Love. Our virtual discussion will be led by ASU Professors Dr. Carrie Sampson and Dr. Sharon Kirsch, as well as doctoral student Christina Bustos. SIGN UP HERE to become a new member of our book club and get the latest updates or sign up directly for the March 23 zoom meeting HERE.
Order the book through Changing Hands or your favorite bookseller!
Check out some incredible pictures and stories from across the state that make us #PublicSchoolProud! Do you know a story we should spotlight? Post it on social media with #PublicSchoolProud or email leda@sosarizona.org to let us know.
🎭🎨 Congratulations to Tucson Unified’s Director of Fine and Performing Arts, Dr. Joan Ashcraft, who has been named the University of Arizona’s Fine Arts Alumni of Year! Dr. Ashcraft was recognized for her outstanding commitment to the arts and arts education in her position with Tucson Unified.
🌊 Maricopa High School Education Professions students volunteered at the Maricopa Water Festival by teaching 4th grade students from their district about sustainability, groundwater, watersheds, and the water cycle!
Students from Whispering Wind Academy in Paradise Valley Unified excelled at the State Mandarin Speech Competition — winning a first-place trophy, 3 second-place trophies, and 3 third-place trophies and making up half of all the finalists! 🏆
Puente de Hózhó Elementary School in Flagstaff hosted Navajo Nation Vice President Richelle Montoya for a discussion on how past, present, and future events shape our collective journey as part of the school’s International Baccalaureate unit on “Where We Are In Place and Time.” Vice President Montoya also toured the school to see the amazing benefits of bilingual and multicultural learning.
🧑💻 Mesa Unified students from across the district teamed up with City of Mesa staff to analyze data and tackle real problems facing their community for Hacktivate Mesa!
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Here are some other easy actions you can take:
Sign up for a Community Action Team (CAT) (NEW Region sign ups!): Central & South Phoenix, East Valley, Northeast Valley (Scottsdale/PV), Northern Arizona, Pima County, Pinal County, Rural Southern Arizona, West Valley & North Phoenix, and Yuma County! Your local coordinators will help you with using Request to Speak and contacting your lawmakers.
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