Shaena Montanari is an investigative reporter for AZCIR focused on covering health disparities. (Arizona public school funding, by the way, alreadyranks lowest in the nation). Sadly, some legislators are already playing political games, trying to convince themselves and the public that the problem is because of district over-spending. It reduces the burden on taxpayers and improves the economy for all of us. The money would go towards teacher salaries and schools. Bullhead City Elementary School District has left open the option of a mask requirement if the COVID-19 situation worsens. Arizona's schools may be forced to shut down as early as April 1 this spring. But in 2018, the Legislature extended Proposition 301, without exempting it. Robbins announces changes to the future of University of Arizona's medical programs. A spending limit set 40 years ago doesnt work today. But its downright galling that this governor continues to fight schools that are trying to protect kids and their teachers by requiring masks or testing or other mandates designed to ensure they can remain open. 6 Arizona schools awarded the 2022 National Blue Ribbon School honor. Essigs said some schools, unable to pay teachers and staff members, may have to end the school year early if the limit is not overridden. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Were talking closing schools altogether. Nearly 300 schools in the U.S. will remain closed for in-person classes after the winter break in an effort to address growing concerns over the latest COVID surge of . The biggest threat of widespread school closures comes not from the virus, but a school finance relic from 1980s, she said. Learn more about what we do and how to find our content on our broadcast, digital and social media platforms. Although the money from the proposition will go toward public education, Essigs said not one penny of that money is in this years budget., That money will not start showing up until next year, he said. AZCIR holds powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism. Two years ago, most of society shut down in the face of a deadly virus we knew little about and couldnt defend against. Edwards, who graduated from ASU in 2021, has interned with Phoenix New Times, Phoenix Magazine and Crime and Justice News. Arizona superintendent urges lawmakers to act as schools face closure ticking timebomb, Superintendent Hoffman says schools face closure ticking timebomb, Tucson marks first 100-degree day of 2023, WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO of officer-involved fatal shooting, Gov. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Not because of COVID-19 this time, but because of a perfect storm of problems with our states school funding system. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Gov. Tell your senators and representatives to stop using this latest crisis as a political football to score points against each other. So, districts already have the state-approved money in their bank accounts. Arizona public schools concerned over possible $1.2 billion in budget cuts, Tucson marks first 100-degree day of 2023, WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO of officer-involved fatal shooting, Gov. So says the governor who has actually foughtschools that enact public health policies aimed at staying open. 2023 Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. Madison School . Watch Now. 360 Hiatt Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. Think of the economic impact on our community that comes from laying off thousands of teachers and staff. Prior to writing for District Administration he worked in daily news all over the country, from the NYC suburbs to the Rocky Mountains, Silicon Valley and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Unvaccinated people were 32times more likely to die from COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people, according to the new Department of Health Services' analysis of data from November. The Education Secretary is encouraging teachers to inform their school leaders in advance whether they intend to take strike action or not, to help schools and families . Look at our options. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Menu. Published: Feb. 8, 2022 at 5:11 PM PST. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Reassign students to Challenger or Don . The economic estimates commission shall determine and publish prior to May 1 of each year the aggregate expenditure limitation for all school districts for the following fiscal year. Read . PHOENIX - Governor Doug Ducey announced Monday that Arizona schools will be closed through the end of the school year amid the coronavirus pandemic. Back in 1980, a cap on school funding, also known as an Aggregate Expenditure Limit, was added to the Arizona Constitution. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic, Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District, Maricopa County Community College District, You must credit us: For bylines, use Author Name, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. At the top of the text of the story, include a line that reads: "This story was originally published by the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting." Unless school leaders inform you that the school is closed or cannot provide a place, then you still have a legal duty to send your children to school unless they are unwell. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Investing in education ensures we have a pipeline of qualified workers and innovators. 185.6.9.159 The deadline for a decision is March 1. Maria Polletta is an investigative reporter for AZCIR focused on covering inequities in education. Updates for Fall 2022. If districts were to spend the money anyway, that money would be pulled out of the next years budget. Gov. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Some districts maintain their own dashboards online. As a result, school districts cannot legally spend the money the Legislature already approved months ago as part of the state budget. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In 2000, when voters approved Proposition 301 to fund education for 20 years, they exempted that money from counting toward the expenditure limit. Click to reveal It affects all of us. Phase 2, 2022-2023. Ultimately, on Feb. 21, 2022, lawmakers in the Arizona State Senate voted 23-6 to waive a constitutional spending cap for K-12 school spending, a week after members of the State House voted on the measure. What Ive heard from some Republicans is theyre waiting to hear about the court case on Prop 208 and the judge in that case says hes not going to expedite his ruling, she said. He has until March 10th.. Close your doors for even a day and you will . However, this wont just affect families with school-age children. The issue of the funding cap has nothing to do with COVID-19, masks, or vaccines. He's also in a band. Virtually no one's pressing to close schools, Hurt students for the unvaccinated? This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. I'd like to receive updates & guidance about the 2022-2023 School Year. Failing to act will harm students and families, Hoffman told legislators Tuesday in her address. K-12 districts with mask mandates include: Higher education institutions with mask requirements include: Other districts have implemented partial mandates that apply only on school buses, on tribal land or when students and staff cannot implement social distancing. This limitation excludes charter schools and only applies to district public schools. In 2022, then-State Senate President Karen Fann said the 1980 law needs to be re-examined. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . So that cash will just sit there, we believe.. The aggregate expenditures of local revenues for all school districts shall not exceed the limitation prescribed in this section. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. A governor who actually pays bonuses to school districts that refuse to enact mask mandates using federal funding intended to fight COVID-19, no less. Or, they will have to close schools altogether by April 1. Anna Campbell expects to graduate in May 2023 with bachelors degrees in English and journalism and mass communication. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Brown has previously interned at MSNBC, NBC 5 Chicago and PBS NewsHour West. That might mean cuts to labor forces meaning that our staff and teachers will get cut. These cuts translate to $25 million for the Washington Elementary district, $43 million for Phoenix Union, and $58 million for Tucson Unified, just to name a few examples. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In a statement, Arizona Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said: Legislative leaders have less than one month to prevent Arizonas school districts from facing existential budget cuts. Tell that to parents where COVID cases, test shortages are closing schools. PHOENIX - Governor Doug Ducey announced Monday that Arizona schools will be closed through the end of the school year amid the coronavirus pandemic. Basically, wed have to cut two months worth of operation from our budget starting in March. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7c0c320a4bc898f7 Districts based their budgets on money the Legislature already approved. State health officials said there are now 1,157 known coronavirus cases and 20 deaths. Since students returned to in-person learning in August, districts have reported more than 2,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and required thousands of students to quarantine. Which counties have online dashboards or reports tracking COVID in schools? When does the states ban on school mask requirements take effect? The cap only affects district public schools; charter schools did not exist in 1980. In-person learning is vital for the development, well-being and educational needs of K-12 students. At least 25 school districtsas well as several higher education institutionshave implemented broad campus mask requirements, arguing they have a duty to protect their students, staff and communities. Sara Edwards expects to graduate in May 2022 with a masters degree focused on business journalism. Hannah must make his decision by March 10, after the deadline for the Legislature to override the spending cap, but Hannah said he could not pinpoint when he would rule., There are no ulterior motives, he told The Republic. "Back then in '80, we had schoolbooks and chalkboards and all kinds of things that didn't cost near as much.". Chaos and confusion: Back to school turns ugly as Delta rages Nearly 18 months into the pandemic, there's no consensus on how to keep students and staff safe. The previous survey's results (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022) remain available in . The State Legislature, under the Arizona State Constitution, has the power to authorize expenditures in excess of the limitation for a single fiscal year. Here's what you need to know about why the state came so close to cutting school spending. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We knew this was going to become an issue. While other counties do not have dashboards, some school districts have made their own, such as Kingman Unified School District #20 in Mohave County. Schools will not be able to maintain their current day-to-day operations without action, she said. Gov. But unvaccinated people, for the most part, choose to remain unprotected, relying on horse dewormer or voodoo or whatever it is they substitute for science. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Gov. But education advocates fear the Legislature isnt taking the cap seriously enough and that the March 1 deadline to approve the override will pass with no action taken, forcing districts to cut their budgets in the final quarter of the school year. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 2023-2024 calendars are being added as they become available. TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Arizona Superintendent Kathy Hoffman is urging lawmakers to lift the school spending cap as public schools are facing nearly $1.2 billion in budget cuts. First Name Last Name Email Please indicate your role in your school or district. I originally planned to give a different speech today, she said. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. We are not adding any new money or raising taxes, just letting them spend all the money that you budgeted to them last year. In partnership with Esri and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), we've created the information below to keep you informed of the changes and impact of COVID-19 on school operational plans at the district level. Its time we ask ourselves the question: Is it fair to continue asking children to sacrifice and suffer in order to protect unvaccinated adults? TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Arizona Superintendent Kathy Hoffman is urging lawmakers to lift the school spending cap as public schools are facing nearly $1.2 billion in budget cuts. A lot of those kids are now back in school, but thats affecting the limit by about $300 million, he said. We changed the rules on schools. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. You are not adding new money or raising taxes, just letting them spend all the money you budgeted to them last year, she said. Todays announcement is intended to give parents and educators as much certainty as possible so they can plan and make decisions. In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends: LIVE: Interactive Coronavirus case data and map, FULL COVERAGE: fox10phoenix.com/coronavirus, Coronavirus (COVID-19)How it spreads, symptoms, prevention, treatment, FAQhttps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus, Arizona COVID-19 ResponsePublic resources, FAQ, webinarshttps://www.azdhs.gov/coronavirus. We need an override by the Legislature, and then we need to fix it for the future.. It requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers. With your help, AZCIR has set out to provide a more comprehensive, regularly updated picture of where students and staff are contracting COVID-19 across Arizonaand how schools are responding. On CoronavirusNOW.com, you'llfind extensive coverage about COVID-19, including breaking news from around the country, exclusive interviews with health officials, and informative content from a variety of public health resources. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. In Arizona, he said on Tuesday, were going to ensure continued access to in-person learning.. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Arizona public schools face budget cuts of $1.2 billion dollars unless the state Legislature lifts the school spending cap by the end of the month. Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. A two-thirds majority of the Legislature is needed to override the cap and allow the $1.2 billion to be spent. The Sunnyside School District says it will lose more than $16 million dollars in funding. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. That depends; county health departments in Arizona can issue quarantine guidance. The county has provided a form letter school officials can use that says those who are not fully vaccinated or have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days are to quarantine (stay) at home for up to 10 days.. No schools were reported several weeks in January and February. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Though some counties and school districts are monitoring outbreaks at the local level, there is no centralized tracking system. Two-thirds of each house of the legislature would need to vote on a concurrent resolution to approve the excess spending. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our number one priority will continue to be health and safety, and we will continue to work closely with public health officials to make the best decisions for kids, families, and our school communities.. The irony is that this spring, school districts are running into something called the aggregate expenditure limit (AEL) that was created more than40 years ago. Theres no new taxes, no new money involved in any of that, and its really difficult for anyone to understand because its a complex topic, she said. This technical roadblock means without immediate bipartisan legislative action districts across Arizona will have to eliminate 15% or more of their already approved budgeted expenses this spring. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } said Lewis. Berry said she and fellow financial officers of neighboring school districts dont know where the money from the budgets will go if the Legislature doesnt override the cap. And Arizonas death rate remains one of highest in the nation, thanks in part to a governor who has used his emergency powers to actually prevent cities and school districtsfrom trying to protect public health. Twenty-six Republican lawmakers have asked Ducey to withhold federal funding from and initiate legal action against any district that ignores the ban. Its kind of like kicking our kids when theyre already down, isnt it? All rights reserved. And students are still trying to recover from the impact of COVID-induced learning interruptions. Currently, a total of 877 classrooms in the New York City public school district have closed, their students transitioned to at-home e-learning, due to confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the . Public school districts, mostly across the Northeast and Midwest, closed this week as the omicron variant of coronavirus surges following the winter break and the country's students face a mental . Thats a death rate of 0.02%. Due to a high number of new Covid cases, Atlanta Public Schools went remote for the first week of the new year, with a . Look at Mesa Unified School District up in the Phoenix area, theyd have to cut $78 million, or TUSD with $58 million, Marana with about $15 million, Amphi with $14 million, he said. During her State of Education address at the Capitol on Tuesday, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman said if the cap isnt overridden by March 1, public school districts will have to cut 16% of their individual budgets before April 1. January 7, 2022. Prefer to send a check? Over the years, lawmakers have voted to override it which hasnt happened yet this year. It is adjusted each year to take into account inflation and the number of students who are enrolled. Arizonas schools may be forced to shut down as early as April 1 this spring. Hoffman said without suspending the aggregate expenditure limit, schools are at risk of further budget cuts, which would ultimately result in more bus driver shortages, more teacher layoffs, and the loss of academic and extracurricular programs, if not the complete closure of some schools. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Erin Richards. Since students returned to in-person learning in August, districts have reported more than 2,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and required thousands of students to quarantine. We all have to reduce our budgets by April 1 if they dont approve the budget, so at that point, we cant over expand our budget, she said. PHOENIX - Public schools in Arizona are once again at risk of massive budget cuts and layoffs unless lawmakers vote to lift a constitutional spending cap that has been in place for decades. (Video by John Brown/Cronkite News) PHOENIX - The clock is running out for state legislators to override a cap on spending that would prohibit Arizona public school districts from disbursing nearly $1.2 billion that's already been approved by the Legislature and budgeted. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. "[State Senator Ken Bennett], the chairman of the Education Committee here in the Senate, will have that legislation to override the AEL for this coming year,". During the 2021-2022 school year, public schools were staring at 16% across-the-board cuts, and looking at layoffs and school closings, according to education advocates. Which states are hurting the most when it comes to teacher How To Work With Our Editorial Department. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Arizona School Calendar 2023. The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report. The school spending cap was enacted as part of a wave of proposed laws the Legislature asked voters to approve to limit taxes and government spending. It is a Constitutional Amendment that was passed by Arizona voters in 1980 which created a spending limitation for school districts based on the aggregate expenditure of all districts. Coconino County publishes a COVID-19 school update every Friday that summarizes case rate and percent positivity at district level. Kids arent dying from COVID-19. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. District Administration. Politicians are holding our school districts hostage to try to get their way on two things that arent related, Secretary Hobbs said. The district provided no in-person classes from March 2020 through the end of the . Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Now, if only he would quit fighting schools that enact policies aimed at staying open. Consequently, this list will no longer be updated unless case rates again force a substantial number of schools to close. I am tired of legislative leaders playing political games with public schools, educators and students. Arizonas children lost precious years of childhood. Huge things have changed since 1979 when the AEL was created. Doug Ducey, who for months had emphasized personal responsibility over pandemic-related mandates, signed off. Yet here comes Ducey, acting as if he alone is holding the line against some orchestrated plot by the evil teachers union and liberal school boards to close down Arizonas schools. Arizona schools will remain closed through the end of the school year, Governor Doug Ducey and state Schools Chief Kathy Hoffman announced Monday morning. From how it spreads to where it originated, here's a look at everything you need to know about the deadly contagion. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. Business, finance, policy, compliance, operations. Ducey and Hoffman released a joint statement: In alignment with yesterdays updated federal guidance, today we are announcing the extension of school closures through the remainder of the school year. The Arizona Republics Stephanie Innes in December reported that the vast majority of COVID-19 deaths, since the vaccine became available, have been in people who were not fully vaccinated. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. In a news release, Ducey, alongside . Katie Hobbs signs house bill to fund Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, American Airlines pilots authorize strike; pickets planned at Phoenix Sky Harbor. Read more at UArizona News. Some are saying, Im not going to approve exceeding the limit until the courts rule that it is unconstitutional., Judge John Hannah of Maricopa County Superior Court declined to rule immediately on the constitutionality of Proposition 208, according to The Arizona Republic. Katie Hobbs signs house bill to fund Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, American Airlines pilots authorize strike; pickets planned at Phoenix Sky Harbor. While the education system was strained due to the COVID-19 pandemic and learning shifts, Hoffman said the biggest threat to schools is far from the virus or its complications. The spectacular surge of Omicron cases has left thousands of teachers and students sick, and many others quite logically fear . They also asked the governor to authorize Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, or school vouchers, for all students trapped in those districts. And as state and local officials argue over the bans merit, COVID-19 continues to spread. But because of legislative inaction, our districts are facing a school closure ticking timebomb. There are solutions already introduced as bills thanks to Representative Jennifer Pawlik and Senator Christine Marsh -- I urge the majority party to act immediately and allow our schools to get on with serving their students and families.. Lana Berry, the chief financial officer of Chandler Unified School District, said schools have the money, they just need the authorization from the Legislature to spend it. This year, it seems its turned into a little bit of a political football field going back and forth, said Marisol Garcia, vice president of Arizona Education Association. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Its time to work together for the good of our children, families, communityand the future of this great state. In a public letter dated Aug. 11, they contended a resounding message must be delivered to any local government or subdivision of the state considering defying state law that lawlessness will not be tolerated.. Though campuses are closed, the remote . However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. But we have some legislators who didnt like 208, and theyre still fighting it in court. Not 2020 again? The latest Arizona headlines, national news events of the day + sports and weather updates. Hoffman stressed the importance of school funding, saying in a written copy of her address, the biggest threat of widespread school closures comes not from the virus, but a school finance relic from 1980, the aggregate expenditure limit.. Another looks to April 2. All material must be attributed and credited prominently, and where appropriate for the material type throughout. Michael Tubbs, once the youngest mayor of a major American city, to address UArizona graduates at Commencement. Districts will be forced to lay off huge numbers of teachers, resulting in enormous class sizes. Phoenix, AZ 85007. email: [email protected] Feb. 11, 2022. (Because apparently there would be no other public or charter school option?). Budget documents show that Chandler schools would lose more than $54 million. This is their way of saying no to 208 even though the voters passed it overwhelmingly, she said. State Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said the amendment was a way to placate Arizonans concerned about high taxes.