Education - AZ FREE NEWS

Ducey And Bowers Welcome The Afghan Refugees After The Biden Administration Created Them

Aug 22, 2021

By Terri Jo Neff | Thursday’s announcement by Gov. Doug Ducey and House Speaker Rusty Bowers that Arizona “wholeheartedly welcomes our share of the refugees” fleeing the Taliban regime in Afghanistan is shining a light on a little known state program that provides...

Arizona Attorney General Issues Opinion On COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements For Government And Business

Aug 21, 2021

The Attorney General's Office issued a legal opinion sought by Arizona State Rep. Kelly Townsend regarding COVID-19 vaccine mandates for employees, patrons of businesses, and airline passengers under existing state and federal laws. The 40-page Opinion finds that due...

Flagstaff Charter School Board President Resigns After Calling Maskless Students ‘Worst of Humanity’

Aug 20, 2021

By Corinne Murdock | The governing board president of Flagstaff charter school Northern Preparatory Academy (NPA), Cristy Schaefer Zeller, resigned Thursday evening after calling parents and students opposed to mask mandates “the worst of humanity who can’t STFU [shut...

Two Arizona School Districts Decline to Jump on Mask Mandate Bandwagon

Aug 20, 2021

By Corinne Murdock | Both Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) and Tanque Verde Unified School District (TVUSD) declined to join the growing list of schools reinstating a mask mandate. For now, masks will remain optional at both districts. During special...

Program Offering Low-Income Families Up to $7k for K-12 School Choice Over COVID Measures Begins

Aug 20, 2021

By Corinne Murdock | Governor Doug Ducey’s program offering up to $7,000 in grants for low-income K-12 parents wanting to relocate their students due to their current school’s COVID-19 protocols began Friday. Eligible families have a total household income at or below...

AZ Supreme Court Rules Prop 208 Unconstitutional For Lack of Spending Cap, Remands To Lower Court

Aug 20, 2021

By Corinne Murdock | On Thursday, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that Proposition 208 (Prop 208), the voter-approved increase on income taxes to fund public education, was unconstitutional and remanded to lower court. If that trial court determines that Prop 208...

Ducey Signs Bill To Strengthen Holocaust Education In K-12 Schools

Aug 19, 2021

On Thursday, Holocaust survivors, students, lawmakers and educators joined Governor Doug Ducey as he signed legislation strengthening instruction about the Holocaust and other genocides in Arizona’s schools. House Bill 2241, sponsored by Rep. Alma Hernandez, requires...

Governor Ducey’s $65 Million for Learning Programs Funds Social-Emotional Learning

Aug 18, 2021

By Corinne Murdock | Some of Governor Doug Ducey’s $65 million for learning programs announced Tuesday will fund a controversial educational method: $1.6 million for social-emotional learning (SEL). SEL grapples with emotionally-charged social issues, such as murder...

Ducey Announces $10M In K-12 Grants To Empower Individual Choice

Aug 18, 2021

By Terri Jo Neff | Starting this Friday, low-income families with K-12 students will be able to apply online for up to $7,000 in immediate relief to support educational opportunities which will close the achievement gap and better equip underserved students. Gov. Doug...

Teenager, Parents Arrested for Trespassing After Violating School’s Quarantine

Aug 18, 2021

By Corinne Murdock | Last Friday, a teenage student and her parents were arrested for trespassing as they advocated for her education. The family was attempting to negotiate their daughter’s forced quarantine with the school principal. According to the parents, Damien...

Flagstaff Charter School Board President: Students Against Masks ‘Worst of Humanity’

Aug 17, 2021

By Corinne Murdock | The board president of Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA), a Flagstaff charter school, called parents and students who disagree with mask mandates “the worst of humanity who can’t STFU [shut the f*** up]” about their freedom. Governing Board...

Decision On District’s Mask Mandate Policy Will Go To Supreme Court No Matter Who Loses

Aug 15, 2021

By Terri Jo Neff | Whether a new state law concerning mask mandates is effective now, or doesn’t go into force until Sept. 29 is the question a Maricopa County judge must answer, but even he admits the final decision will be made by someone else. Judge Randall Warner...