The previous survey's results (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022) remain available in . Oh sure, COVID-19 is spiking yet again with the highly contagious omicron variant. The Legislature has until March 1 to override the spending cap. Look at our options. 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. School's out for the rest of the school year, as a result of the pandemic. Politicians are holding our school districts hostage to try to get their way on two things that arent related, Secretary Hobbs said. "It looks like we will begin moving that piece forward in the next couple of weeks," said State Sen. Shope. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . Tell that to parents where COVID cases, test shortages are closing schools. Matt Zalaznick is a life-long journalist. It requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Shaena Montanari is an investigative reporter for AZCIR focused on covering health disparities. 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 . The issue of the funding cap has nothing to do with COVID-19, masks, or vaccines. */. In a news release, Ducey, alongside . With this announcement, we are making sure parents and families have options if a school closes its doors, he said. Even so, that will only fix the problem for this spring. Doug Ducey has put Arizona's public schools on notice. Parents are best suited to make decisions about their childs education. There are solutions already introduced as bills thanks to Representative Jennifer Pawlik and Senator Christine Marsh -- I urge the majority party to act immediately and allow our schools to get on with serving their students and families.. Madison School . 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. Greenlee County, Arizonas smallest, reported its first case, making it subject to Duceys orders for bars and gyms to close and restaurants to offer only takeout service in counties with known cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Superintendent Hoffman is also asking lawmakers to pass a bill that would ultimately repeal the spending cap, avoiding a showdown like this one, again. 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 . Arizona School Calendar 2023. In an abrupt reversal, Atlanta's public schools start the year remotely. Maricopa County Department of Public Health, for example, recently began requiring students and staff who came in close contact of a known COVID-19 case to quarantine. Public school districts, mostly across the Northeast and Midwest, closed this week as the omicron variant of coronavirus surges following the winter break and the country's students face a mental . Not 2020 again? "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. No schools were reported several weeks in January and February. PHOENIX Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman held her 2022 State of Education address Tuesday afternoon, heavily focusing on the Aggregate Expenditure Limit and the catastrophic impacts it could have on Arizona's education system. Districts based their budgets on money the Legislature already approved. There is no other choice but to suspend and repeal the cap.. School closures and shifts to remote instruction are quickly becoming less common as COVID case rates drop in many states. Email covid.edu@azcir.org, or contact AZCIRs reporters: Which school districts have mask mandates in place? Published: Feb. 8, 2022 at 5:11 PM PST. But nearly three months later, details surrounding the timing, implementation and enforcement of the law remain unclear. 185.6.9.159 A two-thirds majority of the Legislature is needed to override the cap and allow the $1.2 billion to be spent. Gov. We saw what it did to our kids. In a news release, Ducey, alongside Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman, said the extension of the school closures follows updated guidance from the CDC and the extension of social distancing guidelines until the end of April from the White House. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. The economic estimates commission shall determine and publish prior to May 1 of each year the aggregate expenditure limitation for all school districts for the following fiscal year. Read more at UArizona News. News. Thats a death rate of 0.02%. Although the money from the proposition will go toward public education, Essigs said not one penny of that money is in this years budget., That money will not start showing up until next year, he said. Another looks to April 2. The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the states only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. His Open for Learning Recovery Benefit program offers up to $7,000 that can be used to pay private school tuition for any child whose school closes for even a day of in-person instruction. "That would be an incredible disaster. Arizona public schools concerned over possible $1.2 billion in budget cuts, Tucson marks first 100-degree day of 2023, WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO of officer-involved fatal shooting, Gov. Updates for Fall 2022. Failing to act will harm students and families, Hoffman told legislators Tuesday in her address. The State Legislature, under the Arizona State Constitution, has the power to authorize expenditures in excess of the limitation for a single fiscal year. All stories must run in their entirety unless otherwise noted or agreed upon after discussion with AZCIR. In June, Arizonas Republican-led Legislature passed a state budget package that included a controversial provision prohibiting school districts from requiring masks. Bullhead City Elementary School District has left open the option of a mask requirement if the COVID-19 situation worsens. And as state and local officials argue over the bans merit, COVID-19 continues to spread. Or more specifically, we will pay … for parents to send their kids to private school. But because of legislative inaction, our districts are facing a school closure ticking timebomb. Todays announcement is intended to give parents and educators as much certainty as possible so they can plan and make decisions. It affects all of us. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } Judy Schwiebert is a member of the Arizona House, representing District 20 in the West Valley. This year, it seems its turned into a little bit of a political football field going back and forth, said Marisol Garcia, vice president of Arizona Education Association. Whatever the case, it means even more stress on already stressed-out students, parentsand teachers. Similar Facebook posts were shared in early August 2021 claiming some schools are closing their doors again, . (Video by John Brown/Cronkite News) PHOENIX - The clock is running out for state legislators to override a cap on spending that would prohibit Arizona public school districts from disbursing nearly $1.2 billion that's already been approved by the Legislature and budgeted. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 1740 W. Adams, Suite 3008. Which states are hurting the most when it comes to teacher How To Work With Our Editorial Department. The deadline for a decision is March 1. 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. Questions? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. All rights reserved. Then work with us to abolish this arbitrary, antiquated policy. While other counties do not have dashboards, some school districts have made their own, such as Kingman Unified School District #20 in Mohave County. Look at Mesa Unified School District up in the Phoenix area, theyd have to cut $78 million, or TUSD with $58 million, Marana with about $15 million, Amphi with $14 million, he said. The latest Arizona headlines, national news events of the day + sports and weather updates. Learn more about what we do and how to find our content on our broadcast, digital and social media platforms. Its time to work together for the good of our children, families, communityand the future of this great state. And as state and local officials argue over the ban's merit, COVID-19 continues to spread. Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education. 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.. 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. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. He's also in a band. MAP: Districts operational status across the U.S. 2023. Sara Edwards expects to graduate in May 2022 with a masters degree focused on business journalism. The biggest threat of widespread school closures comes not from the virus, but a school finance relic from 1980s, she said. Some districts maintain their own dashboards online. including Savanna Elementary School District in California and the Chandler Unified School District in Arizona. As a result, school districts cannot legally spend the money the Legislature already approved months ago as part of the state budget. School closures and shifts to remote instruction are quickly becoming less common as COVID case rates drop in many states. That might mean cuts to labor forces meaning that our staff and teachers will get cut. If lawmakers fail to raise the cap, public school districts could lose over a billion dollars in funding. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Cheney believes the Legislature is trying to prevent Prop 208, an income tax rate surcharge on high-earners, from going into effect by not lifting the spending cap limit. John Brown expects to graduate in May 2023 with a bachelors degree in journalism and a minor in political science. Its time to choose. Not because of COVID-19 this time, but because of a perfect storm of problems with our state's school funding system. 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. I originally planned to give a different speech today, she said. 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Your IP: The cap only affects district public schools; charter schools did not exist in 1980. 2023-2024 calendars are being added as they become available. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. It would be a disaster for the parents, and I think parents of all ideologies would be resentful of the Legislature not passing something to alleviate that problem.". Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said a familiar issue is still the most pressing one for education in our state. The district provided no in-person classes from March 2020 through the end of the . Doug Ducey, who for months had emphasized personal responsibility over pandemic-related mandates, signed off. Gov. and last updated 9:42 AM, Feb 09, 2022. When does the states ban on school mask requirements take effect? 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. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Ducey and Hoffman released a joint statement: In alignment with yesterdays updated federal guidance, today we are announcing the extension of school closures through the remainder of the school year. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. A governor who actually pays bonuses to school districts that refuse to enact mask mandates using federal funding intended to fight COVID-19, no less. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. He said he has sympathy for districts larger than his who face an even greater loss. Click to reveal Can we just fund our schools?" 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. 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. Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. But we have some legislators who didnt like 208, and theyre still fighting it in court. Pinal County has a dashboard that shows cumulative cases by the area each school district covers, but not cases specifically from schools. This technical roadblock means without immediate bipartisan legislative action districts across Arizona will have to eliminate 15% or more of their already approved budgeted expenses this spring. These efforts are crucial, and we recognize that schools are making every effort possible to continue providing instruction during closures. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Arizona schools will remain closed through the end of the school year, Governor Doug Ducey and state Schools Chief Kathy Hoffman announced Monday morning. What that means immediately is that educators can lose their jobs starting April 1, programs can be canceled starting April 1, and class sizes can expand starting April 1, Garcia said. Duceys wrong to use the pandemic as an excuse to expand school vouchers. We changed the rules on schools. Published: Feb. 7, 2022 at 3:20 PM PST. 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. Edwards, who graduated from ASU in 2021, has interned with Phoenix New Times, Phoenix Magazine and Crime and Justice News. Gov. Get AZCIRs latest investigations and updates delivered straight into your inbox. In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends: LIVE: Interactive Coronavirus case data and map, FULL COVERAGE: fox10phoenix.com/coronavirus, Coronavirus (COVID-19)How it spreads, symptoms, prevention, treatment, FAQhttps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus, Arizona COVID-19 ResponsePublic resources, FAQ, webinarshttps://www.azdhs.gov/coronavirus. I am tired of legislative leaders playing political games with public schools, educators and students. Now, schools cant even spend the still inadequate funds they were counting on to keep our schools open? Is there anyone who wants to put them through that again? Read . We also thank our legislative partners for passing legislation ensuring all educators and staff see no disruption in pay. However, not all agree with repealing the spending cap. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Cronkite News, the news division of Arizona PBS, is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. District Administration. "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. Or, they will have to close schools altogether by April 1. Currently, a total of 877 classrooms in the New York City public school district have closed, their students transitioned to at-home e-learning, due to confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the . This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. PHOENIX The clock is running out for state legislators to override a cap on spending that would prohibit Arizona public school districts from disbursing nearly $1.2 billion thats already been approved by the Legislature and budgeted. Think of the economic impact on our community that comes from laying off thousands of teachers and staff. However, this wont just affect families with school-age children. The spending cap does not affect public charter schools, which educate about 240,000 K-12 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. . "Back then in '80, we had schoolbooks and chalkboards and all kinds of things that didn't cost near as much.". Mental health breakdowns soared while academic achievement plummeted. I get the decision out when I get it out., Ducey defends use of school funding in face of feds threat to reclaim it. PHOENIX - 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. 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. Maricopa County tracks schools with active and resolved outbreaks in a dashboard, but does not differentiate by school or district. All material must be attributed and credited prominently, and where appropriate for the material type throughout. Though some counties and school districts are monitoring outbreaks at the local level, there is no centralized tracking system. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. We will continue to work with families, public health experts and school leaders to ensure our kids can stay in the classroom and parents have a choice always.. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Close your doors for even a day and you will pay. Here's what you need to know about why the state came so close to cutting school spending. From how it spreads to where it originated, here's a look at everything you need to know about the deadly contagion. The aggregate expenditure limitation shall be determined by adjusting the total amount of expenditures of local revenues for all school districts for fiscal year 1979-1980 to reflect the changes in student population in the school districts and the cost of living, and multiplying the result by 1.10. 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. All rights reserved. "This year, it seems it's turned into a little bit . Copyright 2022 KOLD News 13. During the 2021-2022 school year, public schools were staring at 16% across-the-board cuts, and looking at layoffs and school closings, according to education advocates. Since students returned to in-person learning in August, districts have reported more than 2,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and required thousands of students to quarantine. Photos, graphics and other visual elements are permitted for one-time-use only. The county has provided a form letter school officials can use that says those who are not fully vaccinated or have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days are to quarantine (stay) at home for up to 10 days.. 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.

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