SW Valley Times

Gov. Doug Ducey's promised increase in Arizona public school teachers' salaries fell short even though K-12 public school spending increased by $475 million in 2019 from 2018, a new report found.

School districts spent 54.7% of educational funding in the classroom during the fiscal year of 2019, the Arizona Auditor General's annual report said. The previous year, districts spent 54% of their budget in classrooms. 

In 2018, the governor promised a 20% salary raise for teachers by the time 2020 came along. In Ducey's plan, approximately 10% should have reached teacher salaries in July 2019, but teacher salaries only went up my 8.4% by that time, the report said. 

The average teacher salary in Arizona rose from $48,372 in fiscal 2017 to $52,441 in fiscal 2019, which is not the promised 10%. 

Since the Auditor General's report doesn't consider charter schools, it's difficult to say if salaries would be at 10% if the charter school's funding was taken into account. Salary raises also varied in each district. Some districts gave teachers the full 10% raise, while others gave teachers less than or greater than a 10% raise. 

The plan Ducey had didn't specifically state that the money had to go directly to teacher salaries either. The $305 million sent to districts from the Legislature was intended for the teachers, but ultimately each district made its own decision. 

The state left how the money would be used and distributed to local school boards instead of mandating that it go directly to teacher salaries. 

Classroom spending also continues to increase, but it is still less of what it was before the Great Recession. Classroom spending in fiscal year 2019 was 4% less of what it was in fiscal year 2004. Teacher salaries and classroom supplies make up classroom spending. 

Other school funding goes to administration, food service, equipment repair, grounds keeping and security. 

The report also said that in 2019, the state spent on average $8,905 per student as opposed to $7,746 in 2016. But Arizona actually spends approximately $3,000 less per student than the national average. 

Administration spending has also increased by approximately $100 since 2016. It went from $806 in 2016 to $903 per pupil in 2019. 

When looking at individual districts in the state, the amount spent per students varies widely. Some districts spent approximately $4,000 per student, while others spent closer to $6,000.