That might mean cuts to labor forces meaning that our staff and teachers will get cut. If the Legislature doesnt override the limit, schools will only have a couple of months to cut $1.2 billion.. We already see it in the number of employers frustrated by the lack of qualified workers. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. (Because apparently there would be no other public or charter school option?). 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. Not because of COVID-19 this time, but because of a perfect storm of problems with our states school funding system. She said, for example, the Washington Elementary School District would lose over $25 million, Miami Unified School District would lose nearly $2 million, and Deer Valley Unified School District would lose more than $36 million. "I originally planned to give a different speech today," she said. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Arizonas schools may be forced to shut down as early as April 1 this spring. by Maria Polletta and Shaena Montanari, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting August 17, 2021, This and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.. Copyright 2022 KOLD News 13. A clear picture of school-based COVID-19 outbreaks has so far proven elusive, given the rapidly evolving situation and the fact that neither the Arizona Department of Health nor the Arizona Department of Education publishes a dashboard of statewide COVID cases in schools. Stay up-to-date on the most recent guidance, resources, and professional development offered by the Arizona Department of Education and our partners. Listen to public health experts and school leaders. We have two choices: to allow schools to shut down on a technicality, or to usher them into the 21st century so our entire state can thrive. 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 thats already been approved by the Legislature and budgeted. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. One scenario anticipates a school year closure as of March 19. Matt Zalaznick is a life-long journalist. 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. When does the states ban on school mask requirements take effect? 185.6.9.159 They may get sick but for them it is, thank God, more like getting the flu than getting a death sentence. It does not store any personal data. The State Legislature, under the Arizona State Constitution, has the power to authorize expenditures in excess of the limitation for a single fiscal year. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Gov. For some of America's schools, 2022 sure feels a lot like 2020. We saw what it did to our kids. From how it spreads to where it originated, here's a look at everything you need to know about the deadly contagion. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 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 . She is working for the Phoenix news bureau. Duceys wrong to use the pandemic as an excuse to expand school vouchers. 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. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . A clear picture of school-based COVID-19 outbreaks has so far proven elusive . But because of legislative inaction, our districts are facing a school closure ticking timebomb. Its frustrating, he said, because every dollar needed for salaries and to fulfill budgets already has been approved by the Legislature. 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. With this announcement, we are making sure parents and families have options if a school closes its doors, he said. Please choose your school district in Arizona from the list below to view a calendar of your 2022-2023 school holidays. AZ International Auto Show & New Car Buyer's Guide 2020 Model Year, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Were not talking about shifting to remote learning. AZCIR is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, Tax ID #46-1209940. 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. January 7, 2022. Consequently, this list will no longer be updated unless case rates again force a substantial number of schools to close. Gov. Creative Commons. 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. Parents are best suited to make decisions about their childs education. Similar Facebook posts were shared in early August 2021 claiming some schools are closing their doors again, . 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 . Public schools in Atlanta, Georgia also marked August 4, 2021 as the first day of the 2021-2022 academic year. Horne, for his part, says he is in support of lifting the cap and is even considering a repeal. Reassign students to Challenger or Don . However, not all agree with repealing the spending cap. Its time we ask ourselves the question: Is it fair to continue asking children to sacrifice and suffer in order to protect unvaccinated adults? (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. In central Arizona, the Congress Elementary School District board met Wednesday and reviewed contingency plans. We changed the rules on schools. Not because of COVID-19 this time, but because of a perfect storm of problems with our state's school funding system. Prop 208 is a voter-approved tax hike on high-earners. Though some counties and school districts are monitoring outbreaks at the local level, there is no centralized tracking system. So, districts already have the state-approved money in their bank accounts. This is a lie. 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. Due to a high number of new Covid cases, Atlanta Public Schools went remote for the first week of the new year, with a . John Brown expects to graduate in May 2023 with a bachelors degree in journalism and a minor in political science. 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. Though campuses are closed, the remote . 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. Now, schools cant even spend the still inadequate funds they were counting on to keep our schools open? One of the political issues at play is Proposition 208, which put a 3.5% tax increase on people with incomes over $250,000 for single tax filers or $500,000 for married filers. Edwards, who graduated from ASU in 2021, has interned with Phoenix New Times, Phoenix Magazine and Crime and Justice News. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7c0c320a4bc898f7 UArizona ranks 29 among top 100 universities granted US utility patents in 2022. We knew this was going to become an issue. I am tired of legislative leaders playing political games with public schools, educators and students. Superintendent Hoffman explained Flowing Wells and TUSD could lose a combined $63.9 million this school year due to the aggregate expenditure limit during her State of Education address Tuesday. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } The spectacular surge of Omicron cases has left thousands of teachers and students sick, and many others quite logically fear . Basically, wed have to cut two months worth of operation from our budget starting in March. The measure did not need to be signed by the Governor. Twenty-six Republican lawmakers have asked Ducey to withhold federal funding from and initiate legal action against any district that ignores the ban. Failing to act will harm students and families, Hoffman told legislators Tuesday in her address. The previous survey's results (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022) remain available in . Photos, graphics and other visual elements are permitted for one-time-use only. Tell that to parents where COVID cases, test shortages are closing schools. Questions? Superintendent Hoffman is also asking lawmakers to pass a bill that would ultimately repeal the spending cap, avoiding a showdown like this one, again. The aggregate expenditures of local revenues for all school districts shall not exceed the limitation prescribed in this section. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Or search for your Arizona school district by name or zip: A L. M Z. Agua Fria Union High School District. Similar Facebook posts were shared in early August 2021 claiming some schools are closing their doors again, such as here, . Email covid.edu@azcir.org, or contact AZCIRs reporters: Which school districts have mask mandates in place? The aggregate expenditure limit, passed by voters in 1980, is an amendment to the Arizona Constitution that sets a spending limit for school districts based on total spending of all districts. With out a fix to the school funding limit, schools will undoubtedly lay off educators, cut programs, and in the worst cases close their doors. 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. 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. "Back then in '80, we had schoolbooks and chalkboards and all kinds of things that didn't cost near as much.". Do we ask our people to work for free for the last few months of the year? said Hector Encinas, the CFO for Sunnyside Schools. I originally planned to give a different speech today, she said. Doug Ducey did not mention the cap in his last months state of the state address. Yes. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. All stories must run in their entirety unless otherwise noted or agreed upon after discussion with AZCIR. Updates for Fall 2022. All rights reserved. The biggest threat of widespread school closures comes not from the virus, but a school finance relic from 1980s, she said. Anna Campbell expects to graduate in May 2023 with bachelors degrees in English and journalism and mass communication. 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.. Pinal County has a dashboard that shows cumulative cases by the area each school district covers, but not cases specifically from schools. 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. 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. If the state legislature does nothing to lift a constitutionally-mandated spending cap, public schools could be looking at over a billion dollars in spending cuts. We also need to take the next step, to abolish this arbitrary, antiquated policy. It reduces the burden on taxpayers and improves the economy for all of us. You must use our. I'd like to receive updates & guidance about the 2022-2023 School Year. And if schools close because they are not authorized to spend money already sitting in their bank accounts, the blame will lie with you not our public schools, Hoffman wrote to lawmakers in her address. Greenlee County, Arizonas smallest, reported its first case, making it subject to Duceys orders for bars and gyms to close and restaurants to offer only takeout service in counties with known cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. 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. Learn more about what we do and how to find our content on our broadcast, digital and social media platforms. While this isnt the outcome any of us wanted, we are grateful for the partnership of schools around the state, who have stepped up to offer virtual and take-home learning opportunities for our students. including Savanna Elementary School District in California and the Chandler Unified School District in Arizona. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. However, this wont just affect families with school-age children. Close your doors for even a day and you will pay. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Independent, nonprofit investigative journalism for Arizona. In a news release, Ducey, alongside . Whatever the case, it means even more stress on already stressed-out students, parentsand teachers. Arizona schools will remain closed through the end of the school year, Governor Doug Ducey and state Schools Chief Kathy Hoffman announced Monday morning. "That would mean laying off two-thirds of the teachers," said Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne. Its time to choose. Work immediately to pass a clean concurrent resolution, without caveats, that allows school districts to exceed the Aggregate Expenditure Limit. Now, if only he would quit fighting schools that enact policies aimed at staying open. 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. Kids arent dying from COVID-19. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. While Arizona is a leader in providing parents options when it comes to the education of their children - the solution is not as simple as school choice. While these cuts only impact district schools, our public charter schools wont be able to absorb the students that might lose access to their primary district school if these cuts go through and as we know, in many communities the district is the only choice available.. 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. You are not adding new money or raising taxes, just letting them spend all the money you budgeted to them last year, she said. Though legislators stipulated the ban would apply retroactively, they did not have the two-thirds majority required to circumvent the typical 90-day waiting period. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Essigs said the Legislature projected the limit to decrease because of the decline in enrolled students during the 2020-21 school year because of the pandemic, which would lead to a lower spending limit this year, despite students returning to in-person learning. 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. The restrictions now apply statewide with cases reported in all 15 counties. Some school districts maintain their own dashboards online. Your IP: A spending limit set 40 years ago doesnt work today. FOX 10's Stephanie Bennett reports. Its time to work together for the good of our children, families, communityand the future of this great state. Politicians are holding our school districts hostage to try to get their way on two things that arent related, Secretary Hobbs said. 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. Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs doesnt think the Legislature will act before the March 1 deadline. All rights reserved. The district provided no in-person classes from March 2020 through the end of the . I get the decision out when I get it out., Ducey defends use of school funding in face of feds threat to reclaim it. A two-thirds majority of the Legislature is needed to override the cap and allow the $1.2 billion to be spent. The aggregate expenditure limitation shall be determined by adjusting the total amount of expenditures of local revenues for all school districts for fiscal year 1979-1980 to reflect the changes in student population in the school districts and the cost of living, and multiplying the result by 1.10. Can we just fund our schools?" 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. All rights reserved. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". "I think the community is really just frustrated and kind of sick of this because it feels almost like a political football game. In the past, when districts hit the decades-old aggregate expenditure limit, lawmakers voted to override it which hasn't . 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. Gov. abc15.com staff 8:18 AM, Sep 16 . 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.. So that cash will just sit there, we believe.. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The Sunnyside School District says it will lose more than $16 million dollars in funding. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Interactive Coronavirus case data and map, Coronavirus in Arizona: Latest case numbers, Coronavirus: Symptoms, testing and how to prepare amid growing COVID-19 outbreak, How coronavirus differs from flu: Symptoms to watch for, Is it the flu, a cold or COVID-19? By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". It requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Copyright 2022 KOLD News 13. He's also in a band. Not 2020 again? They have not overspent. 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. 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. Tell your senators and representatives to stop using this latest crisis as a political football to score points against each other. Maricopa County Department of Public Health, for example, recently began requiring students and staff who came in close contact of a known COVID-19 case to quarantine. You must link the words "Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting" to the original URL of the story. Gov. Districts based their budgets on money the Legislature already approved. 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." A lot of those kids are now back in school, but thats affecting the limit by about $300 million, he said. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Watch Now. 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. 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. Maria Polletta is an investigative reporter for AZCIR focused on covering inequities in education. Think of the economic impact on our community that comes from laying off thousands of teachers and staff. 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. Do students and staff have to quarantine if they are exposed to COVID in schools? The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report. Read more at UArizona News. MAP: Districts operational status across the U.S. 2023. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. First Name Last Name Email Please indicate your role in your school or district. 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. Garcia said the money returns to the Legislature and gets put back into a savings account and cannot be spent. Districts will be forced to lay off huge numbers of teachers, resulting in enormous class sizes. Lets get this straight. 2023 Cronkite News. */. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Arizona Association of School Business Officials, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 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. It allows people to lift themselves out of poverty. PHOENIX Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman held her 2022 State of Education address Tuesday afternoon, heavily focusing on the Aggregate Expenditure Limit and the catastrophic impacts it could have on Arizona's education system. As schools and education advocates are biting their nails waiting for the overrides, Kavanagh said hes pretty confident that the budget will be approved. Its going to be very, very hard to do.. Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said a familiar issue is still the most pressing one for education in our state. We will continue to work with families, public health experts and school leaders to ensure our kids can stay in the classroom and parents have a choice always.. Robbins announces changes to the future of University of Arizona's medical programs. State Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said the amendment was a way to placate Arizonans concerned about high taxes. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Investing in education ensures we have a pipeline of qualified workers and innovators. The Fifty. 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Let me be perfectly clear that inaction is not an option, and its appalling that this was not the first issue addressed when the (policy) session started a month ago.. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the states only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. The Legislature could and should pass a concurrent resolution before March 1 that will allow districts to exceed the Aggregate Expenditure Limit (AEL). I think the Democrats are obviously trying to create the impression that were not going to (override the limit) and schools are going to go over the cliff, when in reality, around here, no ones really talking about that, he said. The deadline for a decision is March 1. That has a negative economic impact on all of us. 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. Todays announcement is intended to give parents and educators as much certainty as possible so they can plan and make decisions. Look at our options. 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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.

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