APACHE JUNCTION, AZ — Starting next school year, some of the offices of social workers may be empty in the Apache Junction Unified School District.
On Tuesday, the board voted 4 to 1 to have a “reduction in force” for the 2024-25 school year. That list included social workers. A majority of these positions are being cut as district officials said they were funded by pandemic-era money called “ESSER” funds. That federal money runs out later this fall for all school districts.
Superintendent Robert Pappalardo said they had known this was coming, adding that the staff under the grant-funded positions knew it was not permanent. He added that they had hoped to get different funding for the social worker positions before having to make these cuts, but it didn’t work out in time.
“The employees know it was a one-time thing. It doesn’t make the effect of that any easier for anybody,” Pappalardo said.
Emily Phares, the district’s lead social worker also spoke out in the board meeting Tuesday.
“My question for the board is this: if we approve the elimination of social workers, who fills that void? Who will students turn to for their support when they or someone they care about experiences mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, divorce, deportation or physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect…. Who meets those needs? To me, that’s what meeting kids needs first is what it’s all about. Students cannot learn when barriers go unresolved,” Phares said.
With the anticipation of this happening, Pappalardo said they also partnered with health organization Paper Crane to help provide counseling and therapy for kids to help fill the gaps, saying they are also on some school campuses.
However, parents and staff made their opposition heard by the school board.
“By eliminating social workers in our schools, you are limiting mental health supports. This will without question affect students well-being and academic performance,” parent and district-employee Brittni Stimson said in the board meeting, adding that her son utilizes the social worker and that she’s fearful of what would happen without one.
Pappalardo said out of seven of their social worker positions, only one or two are not funded by ESSER.
AJUSD is not alone in this decision, too. Just recently, the Dysart Unified School District also had to make cuts for the same reason.
“I think it's unfortunate that as a public school system in Arizona, we have to be dependent on outside resources to meet the needs of kids. That it should be fully funded by the state,” Pappalardo said.
In the meantime, he said they’ll try to continue to look for funding to keep social workers in the school district.