Arizona Education Network

In the wake of state cuts of $133 million to education during the past school year (2008-2009), elimination of the state fund for school maintenance in (2008-2009 & 2009-2010) and the threat of additional cuts to education by the Legislature; many school districts have opted to place overrides or bonds on the November 3, 2009 ballot..

Arizona is an “equal funding” state for education.  This means that each school district receives the same funding per student from the state.  The only local option or local control permitted to school districts are overrides and bonds.  Overrides are generally for maintenance and operations (M&O) and are limited to 15% (recent legislation raises the limit to 17%) of the district M&O budget based on equalization funding.  Capital outlay (soft capital items that cannot be bonded for) overrides are also allowed but  recent legislation will now restrict them to 10% of RCL (Revenue Control Limits).   Finally, local communities are also still permitted to bond for building and maintenance of schools.

National surveys on per pupil spending place Arizona at the bottom of most lists; and these surveys were completed before last year’s mid-year cuts.  The following are Arizona’s most recent per-pupil spending rankings:

National Education Association: 51^st

U.S. Census Bureau: 49^th

National Center for Education Statistics: 48^th

Education Week: 50^th

Even the very conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) ranks Arizona 50th.

(For a full explanation of Arizona rankings click here.)

There are 89 overrides,bonds or other school funding issues on the ballot for November 3rd, 2009.  Local Arizona communities are exercising the control they have in order to raise more money to spend on educating their students.  Arizona Education Network encourages voters to vote “YES” to these overrides, bonds and other funding issues so these Arizona school districts will have additional funds available for educating the next generation of Arizonans.

The following is a list of school district override and bond ballot initiatives by county. (Information provided by county election offices or county school district offices.):.

Apache County

St. John’s School District #1

• Override

Ganado School District #20

• Override

Cochise County

Sierra Vista School District #68

• M&O Budget Override

Douglas School District #27

• Bond Election

Coconino County

Flagstaff Unified School District #1

• M&O Budget Overrides

Freedonia Mocassin Unified SchoolDistrict #6 (also part of Mohave County)

• K-3 Budget Override
• K-12 Budget Override

Tuba City Unified School District #15

• Capital Outlay Override.

Gila County

Miami School District #40

• M&O Budget Override

White River Unified School District #20

• M&O Budget Override.

Graham County

Thatcher School District #4

• M&O Budget Override

.

Greenlee County

Morenci Unified School District #18

• K-3 M&O Budget Override
• K-8 M&O Budget Override

La Paz County

Parker Unified School District #27

• K-3 M&O Budget Override
• K-12 M&O Budget Override.

Maricopa County

Arlington Elementary School District #47

• K-3 Budget Override

Cave Creek Unified School District #93

• K-3 Budget Override

Creighton Elementary School District #14

• M&O Budget Override
• Bond Election

Dysart Unified School District #89

• M&O Budget Override
• K-3 Budget Override

Fountain Hills Unified School District #98

• M&O  Budget Override
• K-3 Budget Override

Fowler Elementary School District #45

• Capital Outlay Override

Gila Bend Elementary School District #24

• Bond Election

Glendale Elementary School District #40

• K-3 Budget Override

Glendale Union School District # 205

• M&O Budget Override

Higley Unified School District #60

• K-3 Budget Override

Liberty Elementary School District #25

• M&O Budget Override
• K-3 Budget Override

Litchfield Elementary School District # 79

• Bond Election

Littleton Elementary School District # 65

• Bond Election

Madison Elementary School District # 38

• Bond Election
• Capital Outlay Override

Mesa Unified School District

• M&O Budget Override

Morristown Elementary School District # 75

• M&O  Budget Override

Osborn Elementary School District #8

• M&O Budget Override
• K-3 Budget Override

Paradise Valley Unified School District #69

• M&O Budget Override

Pendergast Elementary School District #92

• M&O Budget Override

Peoria Unified School District #11

• M&O Budget Override

Phoenix Elementary School District #1

• M&O Budget Override
• K-3 Budget Override

Phoenix Union School DIstrict #210

• M&O Budget Override

Saddle Mountain Unified School District #90

• Bond Election
• M&O Budget Override

Scottsdale Unified School District #48

• K-3 Budget Override

Temple Elementary School District #3

• Bond Election

Union Elementary School District #62

• M&O Budget Override

Washington Elementary School District #6

• K-3 M&O Budget Override

WickenburgnUnified School District  #9

• M&O Budget Override

Mohave County

Lake Havasu Unified School District #1

• K-3 M&O Budget Override

Topack Elementary School District #12

• K-3 M&O Budget  Override

Peach Spring Unified School District #8

• K-3 M&O Budget  Override
• K-12 M&O Budget Override.

Navajo County

Pinon Unified School District #4

• K-3 M&O Budget Override
• K-12 M&O Budget Override

Winslow Unified School District #1

• M&O Budget Override.

Pima County

Amphitheater United School District #10

• M&O Budget Override
• Capital Outlay Override

Catalina Foothills Unified School District #16

• Bond Election

Indian Oasis-Baboquivari Unified School District #40

• K-3 Budget Override
• K-12 M&O Budget Override

Sahuarita Unified Schol District #30

• M&O Budgwet Override
• Bond Election
• Bond Investment Income Question (details not provided)

Tanque  Verde Unified School District # 13

• M&O Budget Override
• Bond Election

Tucson Unified School District #1

• M&O Budget Override
• Capital Outlay Override

Vail Unified School District

• M&O Budget Override
• Bond Election

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Pinal Couty (Did not provide District Numbers)

Apache Junction Unified School District

• M&O Budget Override

Casa Grande School Elementary School District

• Override Election

Casa Grande High School District

• Override Election

Coolidge Unified School District

• M&O Budget Override

Eloy Elementary School District

• Override Election

Maricopa United School District

• M&O Budget Override

Picacho Elementary School District

• M&O Budget Override

Ray Unified School District

• Override Election

Red Rock Elementary School District

• M&O Budget Override

Superior Unified School District

• Special Election (details of special election not provided)

Toltec Elementary School District

• M&O Budget Override Election

.

Santa Cruz County

Nogales Unified School District #1

• K-12 M&O Budget Override

Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District #30

• JTED (Joint Technology Education District) Election

.

Yavapai County

Beaver Creek Elementary School District #26

• Bond Election

Mingus Union High School District #4

• M&O Budget Override

Cottonwoood-Oak Creek Elementary District #6

• M&O Budget Override.

Yuma County

Hyder Elementary School District #16

• M&O Budget Override