More than two dozen school districts across Maricopa County went out for election measures this November, and while a majority have passed, there are a handful that are currently failing.
Election officials are still counting votes, but some districts feel their results are finalized depending on the margins.
In the Deer Valley Unified School District, Superintendent Dr. Curtis Finch said both the district’s bond and override measures failed. As of Thursday afternoon, around 54% of voters for each bond and override said no.
A bond usually helps pay for new school buildings or physical improvements such as security measures.
Finch said part of the bond was going to go toward helping pay for new schools in the future since the district is exponentially growing with the TSMC plant in the neighborhood.
An override typically goes toward staff salaries and program offerings such as art and P.E.
With the district’s override currently failing, that means it has to start phasing out $11 million each year for the next three school years, totaling $33 million. That means this new coming school year, the district and board will have to find ways to start operating without that money.
“It's impossible to not cut $33 million and get an impact on people. If you do it over time and through attrition then you don't impact people directly,” Finch said.
In this election, more than two dozen Maricopa County school districts asked for additional funding. Of those, nine are currently not passing as of Thursday afternoon. Some districts, like Agua Fria Union High School District, are seeing a thin margin.
For the Buckeye Union High School District, its bond failed.
“I think the biggest ramification we're going to have is having overcrowded schools and having to increase class size to survive the time until we can build and open our next high school,” said Superintendent Dr. Steve Bebee.
Some voters in the past told ABC15 they’re rejecting these school funding measures partly because they don’t want increases in taxes or their students don’t go to that district in their area.
By many estimates, Arizona consistently ranks toward the bottom for school funding, needing to rely on community choices in these elections to provide, or not provide, more funding for their schools.
Finch said he and his team will get together in the beginning of the new year to start figuring out what to do in terms of restructuring to help with the reduced budget. The district’s board will ultimately have to decide on what gets changed.
“If this is the new normal, this concept of pushing the rock up the hill by yourself, then we need to adjust accordingly. If we don't then we will get in trouble over time,” Finch said.
Higley Unified is almost in the same boat as Deer Valley. The district asked for a bond and an override, currently failing as of Thursday afternoon. If the override ultimately does not pass, Higley Unified will have to start cutting $13 million in the next school year.
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Several West Valley districts are seeing bond measures currently fail, providing statements to ABC15:
Dysart Unified:
"Dysart Unified School District is extremely fortunate to have dedicated parents, staff, and community members who have worked hard to inform the community about the needs of our schools. Unfortunately, current ballot counts show that the Dysart bond measure is not on track to be voter-approved.
The bond funding would have helped ensure the safety and security of our schools and provided much-needed facility renovations. We will continue to maintain our fleet of buses, but will not be able to replace all of our oldest vehicles at this time. Additionally, despite the hyper-growth in the Northwest Asante area, we must delay the construction of a new elementary school and will not yet be able to purchase land for a high school.
Dysart will continue our dedication to seeking additional funding sources to cover our capital needs and will work hard to apply for funding support wherever possible. In the meantime, the plans that we had for the bond funds are on hold until a funding source 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 out a message to the community:
“In my short time in our district, it hasn’t taken me long to see and hear the passion that so many of you have for our community. It’s hard to describe but as the new guy in town, it is something I felt from the moment I got here. I saw that passion play out over the last few months as so many worked hard to share facts and campaign on their own time for our bond election. I want to thank each one of them for their support.
It may be disheartening to see that our bond is failing by about 6,000 votes, which is similar to other unified school districts of our size. There are still more than 1 million ballots left to be counted in Maricopa County, and I remain cautiously optimistic. We expect another update with vote tallies later this evening. At that time, I’ll be able to better update you on our bond and how the candidates are tracking for the three open seats on our Governing Board.
Until then, please remember that this district is defined by more than an election. We are an “A” rated school district. We exceed the state in its graduation rate 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 employees is what leads so many families to our schools and it’s what led me to choose this place along with the nearly 4,000 of you.
We can choose to dwell on our current situation, or we can choose to reaffirm our commitment to our students, who showed up today ready to learn regardless of what happened at the polls last night. Part of our responsibility as educators is to own our part of the narrative around public education. People are not going to change the way they talk about us until we change the way we talk about us.
While we await the official results of this election, please join me by choosing to keep doing the good work and telling everyone around you about the uplifting stories from our schools and inside our classrooms. I am committed to telling our story and I won’t stop working to build your trust and demonstrate how valuable the community’s support is for our schools, staff, and students.
I look forward to providing you with another update soon. Thank you for your support of our more than 35,000 students.”
Saddle Mountain Unified:
“The good news is we do not have to cut anything this year. However, we are not able to increase salaries the way we would like to help us retain and attract excellent staff members.
The bad news is we have to go to the voters again next year. If unsuccessful next year we will have to cut $2.5 million to our budget. This would be devastating to our district. Cuts would likely include full-day kindergarten, athletics, office staff, and teachers, resulting in much higher class sizes.”
Chandler Unified’s superintendent's message to its community:
“As you may know, the unofficial election results indicate that the 2024 bond was not approved. This is the case for several other public school districts across Maricopa County. While this result impacts our immediate plans, it does not change our commitment to providing the highest quality education for our students. We remain determined to move forward with doing what is best for kids while keeping fiscal responsibility at the center of decision-making and maximizing resources wherever possible for the benefit of all.
Despite this outcome, CUSD will continue to be fiscally responsible by ensuring maintenance and necessary updates are scheduled thoughtfully and strategically. We are committed to prioritizing essential projects so that our schools and facilities remain conducive to fostering learning & teaching environments where all students and staff thrive.
National school ranking website Niche.com has once again named CUSD as Arizona’s #1 Best Public School District. 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 workplaces, highlighting the dedication, expertise, and passion of our talented teachers and staff.
Community support through voter initiatives is vital and this process was no small feat, especially considering that the State of Arizona continues to rank towards the bottom when it comes to funding public education. To everyone involved in this effort, thank you. Your commitment has not gone unnoticed. Your dedication to CUSD and our students shows the strength and power of working together. CUSD remains one of the best public school districts in Arizona and the nation because of your continued support.”
