State newspapers provide a lack of journalistic integrity by passing on 'news releases' without adding information or critical analysis.

Why is there no mention of the institutes goals for education mentioned with this sort of thing? They have an agenda and it should be included with the discussion. We shouldn't take the word of any think tank without contrasting their statement with their stated goals.

Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc.: MESA - An annual survey by a Phoenix-based think tank shows that Arizona public schools spend more than twice as much per student on education than private schools across the state.

Now let's look at their goals for education:

At the Goldwater Institute, educational freedom is paramount. We believe that a market-based education system is necessary to safeguard liberty, and that it is the fundamental right and responsibility of a free people to secure and direct their children’s educations. Now more than ever, the need to exercise that right is great. Despite endless increases in spending and countless reforms, student achievement declines. Under the current system, the state assigns children to schools, bureaucrats pick textbooks, arbitrary standards drive curriculum, and the establishment passes the buck when students fail. The solution? School choice.

Translation, they want school vouchers. They have a fundamental bias against the institution of public education in America. They want to give up on the institution and break it apart by starving it of funds and reallocating those funds to private schools and charter schools (I'm not saying this is a bad idea, it just needs to be made clear). Now that you have a more complete understanding of where they are coming from when they make statements to support their position. Now you can take what they say at face value or you can challenge their statements and make an informed decision.