It's not an idle threat. Hogan, of the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, forced the state to its knees over unequal school construction financing. This is a hugely important issue, and the Legislature keeps blowing it off. They either have to make cuts or raise taxes. A federal judge, whose patience is being worn thin by a slow-acting Legislature, has ruled that Arizona hasn't pumped enough money into teaching youngsters how to overcome language barriers.
Some schools already spend more than that amount.
Unfortunately, the problem doesn't come with a textbook answer. There are a busload of variables, including the demographics of a district, the number of teachers, class size and how English is taught to immigrant children. A recent Arizona Department of Education cost study mandated by federal Judge Alfredo Marquez is proof of that. Some say it raises more questions than answers. This makes it worse than it was before.