Anderson to chair ASBA Legislative Committee

A familiar face in Maricopa will lead a committee of the Arizona School Board Association.

Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board Member Torri Anderson was recently appointed chair of the organization’s Legislative Committee.

Anderson said she was selected by the association’s president only two weeks ago because the committee’s previous chair could no longer serve.

“I didn’t have much time to prepare, but I’m looking forward to it,” Anderson said.

The committee met Friday to discuss its legislative agenda for 2018.

Anderson said her experience serving on the committee for the past eight years and her familiarity with its process helped association officials in their decision to promote Anderson.

The committee is made up of around 25 school board members from across the state.

Earlier this year, the association sent Arizona school districts forms to fill out. In them, governing boards submitted five items they would like to see adopted in next year’s legislative agenda.

“On Friday we will be discussing the new items and figuring out how they fit in to our current agenda and (if) these items (are) still applicable,” Anderson said after a governing board meeting at the MUSD District Office Wednesday night.

Anderson said, as chair, she will be ensuring the conversations stay on track Friday.

“Sometimes it can be a pretty hairy process because you’ve got all of these people that are passionate about their school districts, which I’m hoping to spin into a positive,” Anderson said.