The Arizona Legislature starts a new session on Monday, and education, as well as education funding, are topics lawmakers plan to address.

Arizona Education Association President Joe Thomas told PBS’s “Arizona Horizon” about what educators and education advocates are looking for in the upcoming session.

“I would hope that the legislature and the governor would focus on retention of the employees that we have that have been loyal, that have stayed with us, that have been five-year, two-year, 10-year, 20-year veterans. We need to be focusing on keeping them where they are,” said Thomas.

Thomas says this may not be the year to try larger initiatives, but legislators have an opportunity to carve out consistent education funding.

He says Arizona schools are trying to do large amounts of work with a small amount of people, so increased funding can help decrease classroom sizes and increase teacher pay.