Arizona PTA wants to send a HABOOB to the Governor and Legislators on Monday April 23 between 9AM-12Noon. We need all Armchair Advocates to help us with this process. We’ve created this toolkit to help you with what to say! Please copy and paste or use these to fashion your own statements. Please use the hashtags #FundOurSchools and #KidsFirst though so we can track our effectiveness!
Facebook:
Public schools around Arizona are struggling to give our children the resources they need because the Arizona Legislature has not prioritized funding for public education programs. It stops now. #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
Education advocates have waited years for adequate investments in public education. We cannot wait any longer. #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
Governor Ducey and the Arizona Legislature must prioritize funding for public education THIS YEAR and create a plan to steadily increase resources for students and teachers in the years to come. #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
I am joining Arizona PTA in #ArmChairAdvocacy to urge Arizona’s legislature and Governor Doug Ducey to find sustainable revenues to #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
Every child deserves the chance to a worldclass education. Governor Ducey and Arizona Legislature need to find sustainable revenues to #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
We aren’t putting kids first if teachers are last. We need sustainable funding NOW to ensure Arizona has a bright future! #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
Twitter:
@DougDucey @AZSenateGOP, @AZSenateDems @AZHouseGOP @AZHouseDems Stabilize our qualified teachers & staff workforce w/competitive salaries & professional support! #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
@DougDucey @AZSenateGOP, @AZSenateDems @AZHouseGOP @AZHouseDems Restore District & Charter Addl Assistance funding so our kids have newest materials, current curriculum, updated technology and #safeschools #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
@DougDucey @AZSenateGOP, @AZSenateDems @AZHouseGOP @AZHouseDems STOP shrinking funding revenues to public schools with tax cuts and corp tax credits. #NoNewTaxCuts #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
@DougDucey @AZSenateGOP, @AZSenateDems @AZHouseGOP @AZHouseDems Restore funding for ongoing building maintenance, funding 4 new schools & repair #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
@DougDucey @AZSenateGOP, @AZSenateDems @AZHouseGOP @AZHouseDems Eliminate the private school tax credits, STOs and repeal SB1431/Prop305. We can’t afford 2 school systems. #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
@DougDucey @AZSenateGOP, @AZSenateDems @AZHouseGOP @AZHouseDems Require all property taxpayers to pay the full qualifying tax rate (QTR) property tax for education funding #FundOurSchools and put #KidsFirst
Telephone Talking Points
Please use these talking points whether you call the Governor (602) 542-4331 or your House or Senate representatives. Please be sure to find your legislator at www.azleg.gov/findmylegislator so you can call your representatives directly.
Hello! My name is _________ and I am a constituent in legislative district ____. I am calling as a voter and tax payer to ask Gov or Rep. or Senator __________ to talk about funding for public education in our district. I’m really excited to hear that the Governor is listening and has put forward a proposal to raise teacher pay by 20%. Unfortunately the funding streams are not sustainable. There’s a lot that our schools need from our leaders and sustainable funding sources has to be the priority. Let’s stop diverting funds into private hands with vouchers, lets repair our buildings, and let’s make sure all of our school staff are well compensated for the important work they do. We need teachers in our classrooms and I need you to do whatever you can to create a sustainable funding source to ensure this isn’t the only raise our teachers and our schools receive.
Hello! My name is _________ and I am a constituent in legislative district ____. I am calling as a voter and tax payer to ask Gov. or Rep. or Senator __________ to talk about funding for public education in our district. I’ve always wanted to believe the best in people, but sometimes politicians make it so hard. I’ve watched as massive cuts were made to critical programs in our state, especially our schools after the recession. But somehow, the Legislature always found a way to let even more money get siphoned off from our starving schools through vouchers and tax credits for private schools. Arizona is resilient, like its people, and we’ve bounced back from those hard times, but our schools haven’t. I’m happy to hear Gov. Ducey has finally come up with a promise to increase the pay for our teachers and support for our schools but his plan doesn’t include a sustainable funding source nor does it help address the issue with increasing per student funding. I need your help to ensure these are promises the Gov. intends to keep, otherwise I’ll be there in November to make sure my voice is heard. Hopefully this is a sign that our government is ready to start making steps forward rather than backwards on education. Thank you for your service to our community.
Hello! My name is _________ and I am a constituent in legislative district ____. I am calling as a voter and tax payer to ask Gov. Rep. or Senator __________ to talk about funding for public education in our district. Arizona has a lot to be proud of. Our history, our climate, our scenery, and definitely our people. But sadly our school funding has been downright embarrassing. It’s terrible to think our educators are some of the worst paid in the nation and they feel that the only way to get attention to this issue is to walk-out of our classrooms. It’s awful to see how much funding has been cut just from basic maintenance budgets. Yet our Legislature has decided to suck money out of our underfunded public schools and hand it over to for profit institutions. I’m glad that groups like RedforEd and Arizona PTA have put a massive spotlight on these issues during an election year, and it’s a testament to our efforts that Gov. Ducey has come out with a plan increasing teacher pay and providing critically needed funding for schools across Arizona. I am very concerned that this is not a sustainable funding source to continue this funding for the long-term. I hope you will please work with the Gov to finally come up with a funding solution for the education crisis in Arizona. Thank you for the service to our community.
Hello! My name is _________ and I am a constituent in legislative district ____. I am calling as a voter and tax payer to ask Gov. Rep. or Senator __________ to talk about funding for public education in our district. I love my kids’ public school, and I love the teachers and the staff who work there. My kids are the lucky ones, they come home excited about learning (I just wish they could be that excited in the morning when I’m trying to get them to school). Our teachers have a lot to do. Students come in from all different backgrounds and with different capabilities, and the professionals in our public schools work with EVERYONE. And often they do it with very limited resources or support. I hope Gov. Ducey’s plan to increase teacher pay and school funding is the real deal but I need YOU to make sure that there is a sustainable funding source that doesn’t hurt people in need. Our schools, our teachers, and our communities deserve it. I am very curious to see how this all turns out, but I hope everyone does the right thing. Thank you for your service to our community.
Hello! My name is _________ and I am a constituent in legislative district ____. I am calling as a voter and tax payer to ask Gov, Rep. or Senator __________ to talk about funding for public education in our district. I’ve recently seen a lot of news about Gov. Ducey’s plan to raise teacher pay 20% by 2020, and while sounded like a lot to me at first, it’s something I think our state’s teachers truly deserve. They are not only caretakers for our children, they also shape the young minds that represent Arizona’s future. It’s a bit early to start thinking about the election, but if Gov Ducey can pull this off, that would go a long way for him to regain the trust of Arizona. I haven’t heard of any details of the plan other than he’s also going to work to increase other funds for schools. This is exactly the kind of investment I want to see made with my tax dollars. I hope it’s not too good to be true as many things often are in politics, so I won’t hold my breath. But if Gov. Ducey can pull this off as he said, then this would be a big win for teachers and for Arizona.
Hello! My name is _________ and I am a constituent in legislative district ____. I am calling as a voter and tax payer to ask Gov, Rep. or Senator __________ to talk about funding for public education in our district. I don’t have any children. I could be happy paying fewer taxes. But public schools are about so much more than the children in them. Good schools build good communities, and great schools build great communities. I am very fortunate to be a product of Arizona public schools and I’ve done well for myself. So it’s important to me that our public schools are well funded. Whenever I hear a politician make promises, I usually roll my eyes and wait for the truth to come out. But hearing about Gov. Ducey’s plan to give our teachers raises and increase school funding has me hopeful. I am calling because I you’re your help to find a sustainable funding source in order for the Governor to keep his promises. Because our communities deserve great schools and because I know you want to help us help our schools.