How is Arizona doing with education in 2020? Statistics show that we aren’t doing so hot. The personal-finance website WalletHub has released a report on the best and worst states for teachers this year. In the report, the District of Columbia is included as well.

Some of the key stats include…43rd – for average starting salary for teachers

49th – for average salary for teachers

49th – Quality of school system

51st – for pupil-teacher ratio

48th – public-school spending per student

25th – teacher’s income growth potential

42nd – 10-year change in teacher’s salaries

33rd – existence of digital learning plan

49th – overall

Now looking at these numbers you may be thinking that these numbers are not good and you are absolutely right. Our teachers here in Arizona are not paid as well as they could be at all, especially considering how much our teachers do for us.

The worst statistic for Arizona is the pupil (student) to teacher ratio. We are the worst in the country because Arizona has a major teacher shortage.

Right now, there is a new proposition for education, prop. 208. This states that if voted on, the higher class and wealthy of Arizona would pay more taxes. That money would then go into Arizona education. This would mean way more funding for schools and teachers.

With this proposition, teachers could get paid more, which could lead to more people going into the profession here. This would help tremendously with the current teacher shortage.

Arizona education doesn’t have to be bad. Our statistics don’t need to be low. We need a change.