MESA, AZ — It was Christmas in July this week for the Mesa Public School District.
The Governing Board announced its operating budget for the new school year is going to surpass a half billion dollars.
Mesa's share from the state legislature's K-12 appropriation means the average per pupil spending in the classroom will increase by $384.
Bringing the total yearly per-pupil spending to $4,775.
The school district says the money will be dedicated to day-to-day projects, capital improvements, and salary increases.
At Mesa Mountain View High School, where preparing for the new school year meant a summer of construction re-designing classrooms, 9th grade World History and English teacher Jenny Denton says the district's decision to invest in the classroom is the best news she could have imagined.
"For Mesa Public Schools to recognize we need to increase the value we place on teachers will help retain the great teachers and will hopefully attract better minds and creative thinkers to the profession."
Mountain View Principal Michael Oliver believes the investment in the classroom will provide future dividends for both students and teachers.
"Every industry on the planet has been completely re-imagined. School is now going to take its place alongside of these other innovative industries." Oliver said.
The Mesa Public School District is the state's largest. 65,000 students attend classes. The start of school is August 4th.
