SCHOOL FINANCE:  A Driver of Education and the Economy - Building A Foundation On Common Ground

Friday, May 30, 2014

8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Desert Willow Conference Center

4340 East Cotton Center Boulevard

Phoenix, AZ  85040

Map it >

What's the story on Arizona's future?  Recovery is underway in our state from the worst recession in recent memory and that's good news for business, for education and for citizens. But as the recovery creates the opportunity for hiring, what's the status on workforce readiness? On the one hand, low taxes is attractive to new business. On the other hand, low taxation reduces revenue to support our state's infrastructure, including education. Whatever remedies that are proposed must not hurt Arizona's recovery - but must enable educators to attract and retain quality teachers and meet the educational needs of a state with over 25% of students in poverty.
 
"There are two conversations going on in this state," said speaker Grady Gammage in his closing remarks at the 2013 ABEC Annual Conference. "We need to get them both in the same room." We agree and think it's imperative that we get the issues out in front of all of us to examine whether or not we can find common ground. So, what's the story on Arizona's future and can we write it together?

Conference Speakers:

• Barry Broome, president & CEO, Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC)
• Debbi Burdick, superintendent, Cave Creek Unified School District  [SLIDE]
• Lattie Coor, chairman & CEO, Center for the Future of Arizona  [PRESENTATION]
• Grady Gammage, Jr., Gammage & Burnham, P.L.C.
• Rufus Glasper, chancellor, Maricopa Community Colleges  [PRESENTATION]
• Michael Griffith, senior policy analyst, Education Commission of the States [PRESENTATION]
• Glenn Hamer, president & CEO, Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Eileen Klein, president, Arizona Board of Regents
• Alan Maguire, president and principal economist, The Maguire Company
• Lorraine McDonnell, professor Political Science, University of California Santa Barbara  [PRESENTATION]
• Kevin McCarthy, president, Arizona Tax Research Association (ATRA)
• Brian Mee, assistant superintendent of business services, Pendergast Elementary School District
• Greg Miller, CEO, Challenge Charter School
• John Myers, vice president, Augenblick, Palaich and Associates (APA) [PRESENTATION]
• Dana Wolfe Naimark, president, Children's Action Alliance  [SLIDE]
• David Peterson, superintendent, Scottsdale Unified School District
• Robert Robb, columnist, The Arizona Republic | Republic Media
• Jim Rounds, senior vice president, Elliott D. Pollack & Company  [PRESENTATION]
• Jim Small, editor, Arizona News Service | Arizona Capitol Times

Other Conference Program Handouts:

• ABEC Glossary of Education Terms
• Public Engagement Handout
• Addressing a shortage of high quality teachers: an escalating dilemma for Arizona Schools (Education Policy Paper #3: Grand Canyon University):  Abstract | Full Report

2014 ABEC Conference Sponsors

Host sponsor:

World Sponsors:

National Sponsors:

State Sponsors:

Local Sponsors:

• ACT, Inc.
• ADM Group
• Apollo Education Group
• Arizona School Administrators, Inc.
• Cox Communications
• Edgenuity
• Hunt & Caraway Architects
• Orcutt|Winslow Partnership
• smartschoolsplus, inc.
• Southwest Gas Corporation
• Valley of the Sun United Way