PHOENIX — Dozens of Arizona educators rallied at the state Capitol on Wednesday, pushing lawmakers to prioritize school funding legislation over bills they call political attacks on education.
They're calling on the Legislature to pass a renewal of Prop. 123.
“Every year that lawmakers delay meaningful school funding, our staff pay the price,” said Anastasia Jimenez, president of the Classified Employees Association at Phoenix Union High School District. “The burnout is real.”
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Arizona voters in 2016 passed the 10-year funding measure to increase the amount of money that goes to K-12 public schools from the State Land Trust Permanent Fund.
Prop 123 expired last fiscal year, and lawmakers backfilled the funding in the state budget for the current fiscal year, which began in July 2025.
The educators said the Republican-led Legislature is too focused on legislation that “micromanages school instruction,” focuses on national political issues or includes criminal or legal penalties for educators.
“We are done with being politically attacked,” said Marisol Garcia, Arizona Education Association president. “We are done being scapegoated for things that we are not in control of, and we are demanding real investment in our schools.”
Senate Bill 1435 would make it a felony for public library and public school employees to refer minors to “sexually explicit material,” including books or movies that depict sexual conduct or “sexual excitement.” Senate Bill 1567 would also make it a felony for any public employee to do so.
“I think we absolutely can be and should be focused on protecting kids from sexually explicit materials at the hands of government employees,” said the bill sponsor, state Sen. Jake Hoffman, a Republican from Legislative District 15.
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