Tentative settlement agreement reached in school funding inflation adjustment case, Speclal Session possible this week

A tentative settlement agreement has been reached in Cave Creek Unified School District, et al. v. Ducey, the school district funding inflation adjustment case that Arizona’s school districts won against our lawless Tea-Publican legislature, but the full amount of the judgment is still pending in court or tied up on appeal.

The details of the settlement are subject to a gag order from the court preventing the parties from talking publicly about ongoing negotiations. But you can bet that Arizona’s school districts have settled for far less than the full amount to which they would be entitled if this played out to the bitter end, because that is the only way that Governor Ducey and our lawless Tea-Publican legislature would ever agree to a settlement when Conservative Republicans are pushing back against attempts to increase K-12 funding.

The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports, Education funding deal reached, special session likely:

Lawmakers have been summoned to the Capitol Monday and Tuesday to be briefed on a deal on K-12 funding in advance of a special session later in the week.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the deal, but who are not authorized to discuss it publicly, told the Arizona Capitol Times that the deal has been agreed to by Gov. Doug Ducey, Republican legislative leaders and numerous education groups who are suing the state over school funding. If the measures are approved by rank-and-filed legislators, and then by voters, the deal would settle the ongoing litigation.

One source said the deal will allow schools to receive a significant portion of their inflation money and will also give them one-time funding. The money will come from the state general fund and the state land trust.

In June, Ducey proposed funneling an extra $2 billion over 10 years from the land trust into public schools. Doing so requires amending the Arizona Constitution, and must be approved by voters.

Republican senators will be briefed on the plan on Monday and Tuesday, while Republican members of the House of Representatives are scheduled to meet Tuesday morning. Sources say a special session could be called as early as Wednesday.

Any adjustment to the Prop. 301 funding formula for the school funding inflation adjustment, or changing the formula of the amount to be paid from the state land trust would require voter approval.