Policy Brief on Invest in Ed’s Impact on Proposition 301

Phoenix (August 14) – The Arizona Chamber Foundation released a policy brief today that found the “Invest in Ed” (IIE) ballot initiative will have a broad impact on teacher pay, lowering the amount of Proposition 301 funding that is currently available for actual classroom teachers.

In its brief titled, “Invest in Ed’s Impact on Proposition 301,” the Foundation found that IIE blurs the lines on classroom spending versus administrative spending, leading teachers to potentially see a drop in their annual earnings in three ways:

1. Dilute the amount of money going to teacher base pay from the Classroom Site Fund by expanding the definition of teacher to non-instructional positions;
2. Dilute the bonuses for student performance, previously allocated primarily to teachers for success in the classroom and closing the achievement gap, by expanding the definition of teacher to non-instructional positions;
3. Dilute the amount of discretionary dollars available to schools for teacher pay by adding plant operations and other non-instructional operations to the list of allowable expenses.

With the inclusion of the words ‘but not limited to,’ the initiative gives broad authority to school districts and charter school to redefine what is means to be a teacher.

“We have found that IIE could have a far-reaching impact on teacher pay, effectively reducing future salaries for Arizona’s classroom teachers. It’s important that Arizonans understand all of the implications – intended and unintended – of what the initiative’s passage could mean for Arizona teachers.”

-Lisa Graham Keegan, Arizona Chamber Foundation Chief Executive.

In the proposition language, IIE gives local governing boards broad authority to define “teacher,” which could include nurses, food service workers, bus drivers or any other non-instructional district or charter school employee.

“A larger pool of employees sharing the same amount of money means that if this new definition takes hold, teachers should expect to receive a smaller share of the Proposition 301 revenue than in the past.”

–Invest in Ed’s Impact on Proposition 301

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About the Arizona Chamber Foundation
The Arizona Chamber Foundation is a non-profit, objective educational and research foundation. We are committed to a non-partisan, research-driven approach that analyzes the issues impacting Arizona’s economy. It houses the A for Arizona and Chamber Business News initiatives. Find out more at www.azchamberfoundation.org.