Gov Ducey Turns to Parents for Help Pushing Teacher Pay Plan

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is asking parents to push state legislators to approve his plan for a 20 percent teacher pay raise by 2020.

Ducey's plea Thursday comes as public school teachers begin an unprecedented walkout that has closed numerous schools, including some of the state's largest.

Many majority Republicans in the Legislature question where the money might come from, while organizers of the walkout say the plan relies on rosy revenue projections and doesn't address their other issues.

The Republican governor released a statement asking parents to call their legislators to tell them to vote "yes" on his plan, which hasn't yet been formally proposed in legislation in the state House or Senate.

Ducey's statement says teachers need to be respected and rewarded for their work and that "Arizona can do better on this front."

Stories on the statewide debate over teacher pay and education funding. Read more coverage here.