A clear picture of school-based COVID-19 outbreaks has so far proven elusive . In a news release, Ducey, alongside . Feb. 11, 2022. 2023 Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. "When this was set in 1980, we didn't have Chrome tablets or whiteboards or any of the stuff that we have now that teaches our kids," State Sen. Fann said at the time. The Legislature has until March 1 to override the spending cap. 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. We are not adding any new money or raising taxes, just letting them spend all the money that you budgeted to them last year. This is a lie. It requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Public schools in Atlanta, Georgia also marked August 4, 2021 as the first day of the 2021-2022 academic year. She is working for the Phoenix news bureau. Doug Ducey has put Arizonas public schools on notice. Here's what you need to know about why the state came so close to cutting school spending. We knew this was going to become an issue. Can we just fund our schools?" I'd like to receive updates & guidance about the 2022-2023 School Year. 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.. We need an override by the Legislature, and then we need to fix it for the future.. 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. In the past, when districts hit the decades-old aggregate expenditure limit, lawmakers voted to override it which hasn't . Arizonas schools may be forced to shut down as early as April 1 this spring. 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. Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said a familiar issue is still the most pressing one for education in our state. 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. It is adjusted each year to take into account inflation and the number of students who are enrolled. including Savanna Elementary School District in California and the Chandler Unified School District in Arizona. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Another looks to April 2. 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. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Arizona School Calendar 2023. You must use our. 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 . 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. Its time we ask ourselves the question: Is it fair to continue asking children to sacrifice and suffer in order to protect unvaccinated adults? 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. 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. (Because apparently there would be no other public or charter school option?). It does not store any personal data. District Administration. Tell that to parents where COVID cases, test shortages are closing schools. Eighty-five percent of our budget is salary and benefits. 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. The district provided no in-person classes from March 2020 through the end of the . 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. Gov. January 7, 2022. 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. There is no other choice but to suspend and repeal the cap.. Questions? The spending cap does not affect public charter schools, which educate about 240,000 K-12 students. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } 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. Erin Richards. 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 . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. From how it spreads to where it originated, here's a look at everything you need to know about the deadly contagion. Published: Feb. 8, 2022 at 5:11 PM PST. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 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 material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. And students are still trying to recover from the impact of COVID-induced learning interruptions. Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education. If lawmakers fail to raise the cap, public school districts could lose over a billion dollars in funding. 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. 1740 W. Adams, Suite 3008. Doug Ducey has put Arizona's public schools on notice. All rights reserved. The measure did not need to be signed by the Governor. Oh sure, COVID-19 is spiking yet again with the highly contagious omicron variant. Close your doors for even a day and you will . Is there anyone who wants to put them through that again? 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. "We are hoping it gets through a little faster this year with the governor pushing, because that way, districts are not hanging in this weird limbo, where they dont know if they are going to stay open or not," said Beth Lewis with Save Our Schools Arizona. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 2023 Cronkite News. 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. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. 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.. On Aug. 16, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled the ban therefore would not take effect until Sept. 29. 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. Consequently, this list will no longer be updated unless case rates again force a substantial number of schools to close. 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.. 6 Arizona schools awarded the 2022 National Blue Ribbon School honor. The latest Arizona headlines, national news events of the day + sports and weather updates. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Twenty-six Republican lawmakers have asked Ducey to withhold federal funding from and initiate legal action against any district that ignores the ban. Think of the economic impact on our community that comes from laying off thousands of teachers and staff. Listen to public health experts and school leaders. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. A lot of those kids are now back in school, but thats affecting the limit by about $300 million, he said. In an abrupt reversal, Atlanta's public schools start the year remotely. Closures will still last days to weeks as district leaders cope with staffing shortages and try to stem COVID transmissions. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Similar Facebook posts were shared in early August 2021 claiming some schools are closing their doors again, such as here, . School closures and shifts to remote instruction are quickly becoming less common as COVID case rates drop in many states. Classes in Chicago Public Schools were canceled for the second day Thursday, the result of an impasse over the teachers union's desire to return to remote . Districts will be forced to lay off huge numbers of teachers, resulting in enormous class sizes. The biggest threat of widespread school closures comes not from the virus, but a school finance relic from 1980s, she said. School's out for the rest of the school year, as a result of the pandemic. If districts were to spend the money anyway, that money would be pulled out of the next years budget. 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. Michael Tubbs, once the youngest mayor of a major American city, to address UArizona graduates at Commencement. Its kind of like kicking our kids when theyre already down, isnt it? The cap only affects district public schools; charter schools did not exist in 1980. 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. Politics, cell towers and hate speech: Why 3 more superintendents are Florida schools move closer to a 12-month school year. Were talking closing schools altogether. As of Dec. 6, she reported, there had been 608 breakthrough COVID-19 deaths in fully vaccinated people in Arizona. 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. The Legislature could and should pass a concurrent resolution before March 1 that will allow districts to exceed the Aggregate Expenditure Limit (AEL). Maria Polletta is an investigative reporter for AZCIR focused on covering inequities in education. 2023 Cronkite News. Learn more about what we do and how to find our content on our broadcast, digital and social media platforms. Sadly, some legislators are already playing political games, trying to convince themselves and the public that the problem is because of district over-spending. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Independent, nonprofit investigative journalism for Arizona. We also thank our legislative partners for passing legislation ensuring all educators and staff see no disruption in pay. 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. 2023 FOX Television Stations, until MON 7:00 PM MST, Western Pima-South Central Pinal-Tohono Oodham Nation, Eastern Pima-Southeastern Pinal-Santa Cruz-Western Cochise, until SUN 5:00 PM MST, Maricopa County, Yuma County, Yuma County, from FRI 11:40 PM MST until TUE 11:30 PM MST, Maricopa County, from MON 9:00 AM MST until MON 11:00 PM MST, Northwest Plateau, Northwest Deserts, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, from SUN 11:59 AM MDT until TUE 12:00 AM MDT, Apache County, until MON 9:00 PM MST, Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail. January 6, 2022 at 11:22 a.m. EST. Cronkite News, the news division of Arizona PBS, is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 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. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. All rights reserved. Thats a death rate of 0.02%. Read more at UArizona News. Campbell, who was a senior reporter at The State Press, is working for the Phoenix news bureau. Copyright 2022 KOLD News 13. 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. Coconino County publishes a COVID-19 school update every Friday that summarizes case rate and percent positivity at district level. Though some counties and school districts are monitoring outbreaks at the local level, there is no centralized tracking system. "It looks like we will begin moving that piece forward in the next couple of weeks," said State Sen. Shope. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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.. Gov. Katherine Fung 12/23/2021. Different viruses present similar symptoms, Murder, Money and the End of Days: The Lori Vallow story, Lori Vallow trial: Full-length audio files from inside the courtroom, Phoenix officer assaulted by suspect, police say, Milwaukee woman stabbed sister to death amid feud: complaint, Cars parked at Gilbert daycares become target in latest string of break-ins, Shocking details revealed during 'Doomsday mom' Lori Vallow's murder trial: Live updates, Barbie debuts Anna May Wong doll for AAPI Heritage Month, Hair from 'Doomsday mom' found on duct tape wrapped around dead son, Here are tips on how to keep safe around water as summer nears, Some districts are considering to arm teachers amid school shooting epidemic, Arizona district installs weapon detection system in schools. How aggressively will the state enforce the ban? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Phase 2, 2022-2023. State health officials said there are now 1,157 known coronavirus cases and 20 deaths. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. A spending limit set 40 years ago doesnt work today. According to Education Forward Arizona, the Legislature last overrode the gap in 2007 and 2008. 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. The restrictions now apply statewide with cases reported in all 15 counties. 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. Judy Schwiebert is a member of the Arizona House, representing District 20 in the West Valley. 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. Budget documents show that Chandler schools would lose more than $54 million. In-person learning is vital for the development, well-being and educational needs of K-12 students. 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. Prefer to send a check? Brown has previously interned at MSNBC, NBC 5 Chicago and PBS NewsHour West. 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. So, districts already have the state-approved money in their bank accounts. It reduces the burden on taxpayers and improves the economy for all of us. Two years ago, most of society shut down in the face of a deadly virus we knew little about and couldnt defend against. 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. Back in 1980, a cap on school funding, also known as an Aggregate Expenditure Limit, was added to the Arizona Constitution. Edwards, who graduated from ASU in 2021, has interned with Phoenix New Times, Phoenix Magazine and Crime and Justice News. In June, Arizonas Republican-led Legislature passed a state budget package that included a controversial provision prohibiting school districts from requiring masks. 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.. Pima County tracks cases by school district. All rights reserved. Creative Commons. 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. 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. Email covid.edu@azcir.org, or contact AZCIRs reporters: Which school districts have mask mandates in place? For more than a decade the Legislatures failure to invest properly in our schools has resulted in such a severe teacher shortage that more than20% of our students dont have a permanent, qualified teacher in their classroom. Close K-3 school Desert Garden Elementary School off 71st Avenue and Ocotillo Road and repurpose the building into a preschool facility. As a result, school districts cannot legally spend the money the Legislature already approved months ago as part of the state budget. Madison School . 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. By: Sheenae Shannon, AEA Communications Director. Even so, that will only fix the problem for this spring. Look at our options. Do schools and child care establishments have to report COVID-19 outbreaks to their local health departments? "If its not addressed in a permanent manner, we are going to be pretty much sealing our feet from now on be at the bottom of the nation in funding," said David Lujan, a former state lawmaker. USA TODAY. Two-thirds of each house of the legislature would need to vote on a concurrent resolution to approve the excess spending. Districts based their budgets on money the Legislature already approved. Arizona's schools may be forced to shut down as early as April 1 this spring. This limitation excludes charter schools and only applies to district public schools. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Some districts maintain their own dashboards online. Arizona continues to rank dead last in the nation in per-student investment, according to Education Law Centers. Business, finance, policy, compliance, operations. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Bullhead City Elementary School District has left open the option of a mask requirement if the COVID-19 situation worsens. Failing to act will harm students and families, Hoffman told legislators Tuesday in her address. and last updated 9:42 AM, Feb 09, 2022. Were not talking about shifting to remote learning. 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. First Name Last Name Email Please indicate your role in your school or district. abc15.com staff 8:18 AM, Sep 16 . But because of legislative inaction, our districts are facing a school closure ticking timebomb. All rights reserved. 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. 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. is fernando valenzuela married, dodgerfilms softball crew names, top of the mountain showcase softball asheville nc 2021,
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