Common Sense Institute Arizona

What could shifting more school funding toward instruction look like?

CSI estimates that if additional instructional funding followed the current spending mix, the statewide average teacher salary could increase by nearly $10,000, from $65,613 to $75,552.

If all of the additional funding went to teacher compensation, the increase would be more than $13,000. CSI’s Proposition 320 Ballot Guide breaks down the numbers behind the measure and what they could mean for Arizona schools. Get the facts before you vote: https://bit.ly/46W6Bn3

Does where schools spend their money matter?

CSI’s analysis of Arizona school districts found a positive relationship between the share of spending devoted to instruction and student proficiency, even after accounting for factors including poverty, district size, total spending, staffing and prior performance.

CSI’s Proposition 320 Ballot Guide report takes a deeper look at the data behind the measure. Learn more: https://bit.ly/46W6Bn3

Arizona ranks 49th in the nation for the share of school spending going directly to instruction. According to CSI’s new Proposition 320 Ballot Guide, Arizona directs 52.1% of day-to-day school funding to instruction, compared with a national average of 58.8%.

If Arizona matched the national average, CSI finds that would amount to an additional $973 per student for instructional expenses.

Get the facts before you vote ⬇️
https://bit.ly/46W6Bn3

As Arizona grapples with growing infrastructure needs and affordability pressures, CSI Executive Director Katie Ratlief spoke with the Arizona Capitol Times about the state’s highway funding challenge and the broader choices facing policymakers. Rather than immediately turning to new taxes or fees, Katie pointed to the state budget and the need to take a closer look at Arizona’s priorities and how existing dollars are being used. Read the article: https://bit.ly/4rxxjM9
Check out CSI's latest budget research: https://bit.ly/4xR4r35

Arizona lawmakers are taking a closer look at State Trust Land and its role in addressing the state’s housing shortage.

Ahead of a new legislative oversight hearing, CSI research was cited showing that more than 200,000 acres of potentially developable State Trust Land sit within 10 miles of existing urban areas, highlighting the potential role these lands could play in Arizona’s housing supply.

Get the facts about the State Land Trust in CSI's full report: https://bit.ly/4d1tRDM
Read the Press Release: https://bit.ly/47jn84v

Arizona’s unemployment rate remains at a post-pandemic high of 4.9% for the third straight month.

At the same time, labor force participation has declined for seven consecutive months, falling to 59.9% and sitting 2.2 percentage points below a year ago.

CSI breaks down the latest labor market data: https://bit.ly/4ydGO5S

Arizona lost 4,100 jobs in August, as employment growth continued to slow from earlier this year.

Despite the monthly decline, Arizona remains up 21,000 jobs over the last year, with its 0.64% growth rate outpacing the national rate of 0.38%.

Get the latest on Arizona’s labor market from CSI: https://bit.ly/4ydGO5S

Where businesses choose to invest matters.

CSI finds the 10 states attracting the most firms had, on average, fewer regulatory restrictions, lower income taxes and lower government spending as a share of their economies than the states losing the most firms.

Those states also experienced:
📈 5.8X faster employment growth
📈 30% faster real GDP growth
📈 7.8% faster per-capita personal income growth

The data point to a broader connection between a state’s policy environment, investment and economic growth.

Read the report ⬇️
https://bit.ly/3UKOvSb

Arizona’s affordability challenges are fueling a bigger conversation about the policies shaping our economy.

In a new op-ed, Vince Gil of Citizens for Free Enterprise highlights CSI research showing that Arizona ranks 45th nationally in affordability and examines what that means for the debate over free enterprise and government intervention.

Read the op-ed: https://bit.ly/4cMxzkp?
Read the report: https://bit.ly/4zg1z1v