Critics of Gov. Doug Ducey’s plans to pay for education costs without tax increases say that mode of thinking has led to a huge shortage of permanent teachers, outdated textbooks and technology, overcrowded classrooms with not enough books and not enough desks.

Dana Wolfe Naimark, president and CEO of Children’s Action Alliance, released a new policy brief this past week, making a case study for higher taxes.

“We can’t turn this around until we restore revenues and reinvest in public schools," she said. "And simply sitting around waiting to watch the economy grow cannot catch up to the needs of our public schools."

The Joint Legislative Budget Committee said while funding is up over last year, it is still 19 percent below what it was in 2008.

Ducey is set to present his budget to the Arizona Legislature in January.