Tuesday Night was a Great Night for Most School Districts Seeking Budget Overrides or Increases

Electing local candidates or passing propositions like the Minimum Wage increase in Tucson were not the only measures on the 2021 ballot on November 2, 2021, in the Grand Canyon State.

Thirty-three public school districts in Arizona asked residents to approve either a budget override or an increase to their coffers to pay for items like infrastructure or increased staffing.

Twenty-four of these ballot measures passed.

The list of the districts that asked residents to vote for these overrides or increases are:

Maricopa County – 21 districts

Buckeye UHSD Override – No
Phx Union Override – Yes
Phx Union Budget Increase – Yes
Tolleson UHSD Bond – Yes
Agua Fria Override – No
Phx ESD Override – Yes
Riverside ESD Budget Increase – Yes
Isaac ESD Override – Yes
Liberty ESD Override – No
Kyrene ESD Override – Yes
Arlington ESD Override – Yes
Higley USD Bond – No
Littleton ESD Bond – Yes
Roosevelt ESD Override – Yes
Roosevelt ESD Budget Increase – Yes
Chandler USD Override – Yes
Pendergast ESD Bond – Yes
Cave Creek USD Bond – No
Queen Creek ESD Bond – No
Fountain Hills ESD Override – Yes
Fountain Hills ESD Budget Increase – No

Yavapai County
Mingus Union HSD – Budget increase – Yes
Cottonwood-Oak Creek ESD – Budget increase – Yes

Pima County

Vail USD Override – Yes

Mohave County

Mohave ESD Override: No

Coconino County

Williams USD Override – Yes

Apache County

Round Valley USD Override – Yes
– Window Rock USD Bond – Yes
– Window Rock USD Override – Yes

Pinal County

Maricopa USD Override – Yes
Santa Cruz Valley Union HSD Budget Increase – No

Cochise County

Wilcox USD – Override – Yes

Greenlee County

Duncan USD Override – No

Save Our Schools Arizona released the below statement:

“Save Our Schools Arizona is encouraged by the overwhelming statewide support of school bonds and overrides in yesterday’s election. Time and time again, Arizona voters support increasing funding for local public schools to support smaller class sizes, teacher retention, building maintenance, full-day kindergarten, and much more. In Arizona, our neighborhood schools are the centers of our communities, the opportunity builders for our children, and the economic drivers for our state. 

In many counties, Arizonans overwhelmingly voted to override funding limits and pass bonds. In Pima, Yavapai, Coconino, Apache, Cochise, and Greenlee counties, 100% of bond and override questions passed for local school districts. In Maricopa County, 2/3 of the bond and override questions passed. 

School bonds and override elections should not be so critically needed. They are only common in Arizona because our state legislature has abdicated its duty to fund our schools. Unfortunately, with Arizona ranking 51st nationwide in per-pupil funding, these bonds and overrides dictate essential operating dollars for Arizona classrooms and children. In areas where bonds and overrides failed, we are concerned to note that heightened vitriol and disinformation likely led to the elimination of these much-needed dollars from schools. 

We urgently call upon Arizona lawmakers to fund Arizona schools at or above the national average. Our local public schools should not be forced to beg the voters to fund their basic operating needs.”

The Save our Schools statement is on point.

Local public schools should not have to beg the voters for money.

It is time to fully fund Invest in Ed-Proposition 208.

It is time for the Arizona State Legislature to fully fund the Grand Canyon State’s public schools.