Arizona’s education funding model is 28 years old, and Verde Valley educators are ready to help bring it up to date.

Educators from Camp Verde, Cottonwood, Clarkdale-Jerome and Sedona gathered Thursday, April 23, in Cottonwood to brainstorm. Arizona Business & Education Coalition organized the session to help it gather information for a school finance reform initiative it is preparing to take to the state Capitol in 2010, according to Susan Carlson, the coalition’s executive director.

The coalition is a statewide membership coalition that combines business and education interests.

Arizona education currently operates under a state-mandated system that sets a spending cap for each district based on the number of students served and the special needs of those students. The system was designed 28 years ago to ensure equal education opportunity across Arizona despite whether a student lived in a community rich in property value or poor.

Today, Arizona spends much less per capita than other states, according to Chuck Essigs, director of government relations for the Arizona Association of School Business Officials. Recent legislative cuts won’t make the situation better.

“Schools really are heading for the worst time possible,” Essigs said.

The coalition’s goal is to look to the future and formulate a new model for education spending, Carlson said.

However, how the money is spent is more important than how much money is allocated.

“More money does not mean better education,” Essigs said. While nearly at the bottom of the list for funding in the United States, Arizona does rank more toward the middle based on student performance.

Cottonwood was the eighth stop on the coalition’s 10-city tour of the state to gather input from communities.

“This can’t happen among three or four people in a basement in the Capitol,” Carlson said.

Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District Superintendent Barbara U’Ren said she appreciates the coalition’s effort to involve small communities because their concerns are much different than those of larger districts.

Talking to educators in rural areas is very important, Sedona Oak Creek School District Superintendent Mike Aylstock agrees.

“It’s different outside of Maricopa and Pima counties,” Aylstock said.

It’s also nice to have another advocate, according to Aylstock.

“It seems the legislature is turning a deaf ear,” Aylstock said. Education funding needs to increase for Arizona to remain competitive in the nation.

Information gathered during the coalition’s trip around the state will be compiled into a report and brought back to the same communities in the fall. Then, a reform initiative will be presented to the state legislature. The legislature wants residents to find common ground on education funding, Carlson said.

Trista Steers can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 124, or e-mail tsteers@larsonnewspapers.com