Valley school districts will make cuts after election measures fail

More than two dozen school districts in Maricopa County went out for election measures in November, and while a majority have passed, there are a handful of schools that are currently failing.

Election officials are still counting votes, but some counties believe their results depend on the margins.

In the Deer Valley Unified School District, Superintendent Dr. Curtis Finch that both the district’s bond and override measures failed. As of Thursday afternoon, about 54% of voters said no on every bond and override.

A bond usually helps pay for new school buildings or physical improvements, such as security measures.

Finch said a portion of the bond would go toward helping pay for new schools in the future as the district grows exponentially with the TSMC plant nearby.

A transfer usually goes towards staff salaries and program offerings such as arts and gym

With the district’s current bridging failure, this means it will have to phase out $11 million each year for the next three school years, for a total of $33 million. This means that in the coming school year the district and the board will have to find ways to function without that money.

“It’s impossible not to cut $33 million and still have an impact on people. If you do it over time and over time, you don’t have a direct impact on people,” Finch said.

This election, more than two dozen school districts in Maricopa County requested additional funding. Of these, nine are currently canceled as of Thursday afternoon. Some districts, like the Agua Fria Union High School District, are seeing a narrow margin.

For the Buckeye Union High School District, the band failed.

“I think the biggest impact we’re going to have is the fact that the schools are overcrowded and we have to increase class sizes to survive the time before we can build and open our next high school,” said Superintendent Dr. Steve Bebee.

Some voters have told ABC15 in the past that they reject these school funding measures, in part because they don’t want tax increases or because their students don’t attend that district in their area.

By many estimates, Arizona consistently ranks at the bottom in school funding, and must rely on community choices in this election as to whether or not to provide more funding for their schools.

Finch said he and his team will meet at the start of the new year to figure out what to do in terms of restructuring to help with the reduced budget. The district board will ultimately have to decide what changes.

“If this is the new normal, the idea of ​​pushing the rock up the hill ourselves, then we have to adapt accordingly. If we don’t do that, we will run into problems in the long run,” said Finch.

Higley Unified is almost in the same boat as Deer Valley. The district requested a bond and a transfer, but was currently failing as of Thursday afternoon. If the override ultimately fails, Higley Unified will have to start cutting $13 million in the next school year.

Several West Valley districts are currently seeing bond measures fail, providing statements to ABC15:

Dysart united:

“Dysart Unified School District is very fortunate to have dedicated parents, staff and community members who have worked hard to educate the community about the needs of our schools. Unfortunately, current vote counts show that the Dysart bond measure is not on schedule is approved by the voter.

The bond financing would have helped ensure the safety of our schools and provided much-needed facility renovations. We will continue to maintain our fleet, but will not be able to replace all of our oldest vehicles at this time. Moreover, despite the hyper-growth in the Northwest Asante area, we have to postpone the construction of a new primary school and we will not yet be able to purchase land for a secondary school.

Dysart will remain committed to seeking additional sources of financing to meet our capital needs and will work diligently to apply for financing support wherever possible. In the meantime, the plans we had for the bond funds are on hold until a source of funding for them is secured.

We thank our community for their continued support and understanding as we pursue the important work of educating our students.”

Peoria Unified’s superintendent sent a message to the community:

“In my short time in our district, it hasn’t taken long to see and hear the passion so many of you have for our community. It’s hard to describe, but as a newbie to the city, I felt it from the moment I got here. I saw that passion on display in recent months as so many worked hard to share facts and campaign for our bond elections on their own time. I would like to thank each and every one of them for their support.

It can be disheartening to see our bond fail by approximately 6,000 votes, which is comparable to other unified school districts our size. There are still over 1 million ballots to be counted in Maricopa County, and I remain cautiously optimistic. We expect an update with voting results later this evening. By then I will be able to better inform you about our relationship and how the candidates are running for the three open seats on our Board of Directors.

Until then, keep in mind that this district is defined by more than just elections. We are an A-rated school district. We surpass the state in graduation rates and state testing. We are national leaders in arts education, we crush the competition in CTE, win robotics and MESA championships, and our athletic programs are second to none. The opportunities we provide meet the needs of every child, and the dedication of our staff is what brings so many families to our schools and is the reason I, along with the nearly 4,000 of you, chose this place.

We can choose to reflect on our current situation, or we can choose to reaffirm our commitment to our students, who showed up to learn today, regardless of what happened at the polls last night. Part of our responsibility as educators is to own our part of the story around public education. People are not going to change the way they live talk about us until we change the way we change talk about us.

As we wait for the official results of this election, you can join me in choosing to keep up the good work and tell everyone around you about the uplifting stories of our schools and in our classrooms. I am committed to telling our story and I will not stop working to build your trust and demonstrate how valuable community support is to our schools, staff and students.

I look forward to bringing you another update soon. Thank you for your support of our more than 35,000 students.”

Saddle Mountain United:

“The good news is that we don’t have to make any cuts this year. However, we are not able to increase salaries in the way we would like to retain and attract excellent employees.

The bad news is that we have to go back to the voters next year. If we can’t do this next year, we’ll have to cut $2.5 million from our budget. This would be devastating to our neighborhood. The cuts would likely affect all-day kindergarten, athletics, office staff and teachers, resulting in much larger class sizes.”

Chandler Unified’s superintendent’s message to his community:

“As you may know, the unofficial election results indicate that the 2024 bond has not been approved. This is the case for several other public school districts in Maricopa County. While this outcome impacts our immediate plans, it does not change our commitment to providing the highest quality education to our students. We remain committed to moving forward and doing what’s best for children, while putting fiscal responsibility at the center of decision-making and maximizing resources wherever possible for the benefit of all.

Despite this outcome, CUSD will remain fiscally responsible by ensuring that maintenance and necessary updates are carefully and strategically planned. We strive to prioritize essential projects so that our schools and facilities remain conducive to fostering learning and educational environments in which all students and employees thrive.

National school rankings website Niche.com has once again named CUSD the best public school district in Arizona. Our students continue to excel, outperforming their peers on both state and national assessments and earning millions in scholarships and awards each year. Additionally, Forbes recognizes CUSD as one of Arizona’s Best Places to Work, highlighting the dedication, expertise and passion of our talented faculty and staff.

Community support through voter initiatives is critical and this process was no small feat, especially considering that the state of Arizona continues to rank at the bottom when it comes to funding public education. Thank you to everyone involved in this effort. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Your dedication to CUSD and our students demonstrates the power of working together. CUSD remains one of the top public school districts in Arizona and the nation because of your continued support.