Amerischools in need of funds for classroom materials
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Experts say, Arizona is known as one of the lowest funded public education systems in the country.
The superintendent of Amerischools says having a smaller school system, can be challenging to find funding and resources.
“Sometimes with larger school systems, they may have more money, but sometimes smaller school systems, it can be challenging because you don’t have as many students," describes Matthew Chandler, Amerischools superintendent.
Currently amerischools is renovating their south campus and due to insufficient funding they do not have materials and resources for their students.
Melodie Arellano, a sixth grade teacher at Amerischools, explains why these students deserve new material in their classrooms, “I feel like coming in and a student is seeing old desks, seeing old boards, and seeing a very outdated building, it can be very discouraging, and a lot of students want to come in because a lot of the school is a safe place for our students, it’s home away from home.”
The school is hoping for donations for items like new desks, round tables for interventions, playground equipment, and smartboards.
Joseph Sanchez, Amerischools Dean of students says,“any funding, anything like that is really going to be a big help to our school to make it grow and help our community.”
The President of the Arizona Education Association says there is a complete lack of leadership by our lawmakers to make school funding a priority.
“We need to hold our elected officials accountable, because politicians shouldn’t be using schools, as a political launching point, they should be doing what’s best for their community," emphasises Marisol Garcia, President of the Arizona Education Association.
The current system of school funding in Arizona is called, backpack funding.
The amount of kids who show up to school determines the amount of money the school district has that year.
“The problem with that is kids move districts and districts try to create a budget like all of us, you know like in the future, like next year we’re going to need this, and it is so unstable," says Garcia.
If you would like to donate and give back to the students and educators of Amerischool, click here.
