Failure to extend override could mean loss of 70 teachers, MUSD projects

Maricopa voters face a big decision Nov. 2.

While the off-year election may not shape national or state policies, it could be crucial to the city and the future of its schools.

The ballot consists of Proposition 457, which will determine the fate of the district’s 10% budget override for Maricopa Unified School District. Supporters stress the override is not a new tax – a “Yes” vote simply extends a funding mechanism in place since 2017.

The election will be conducted entirely by mail, with ballots mailed to registered voters Oct. 6. Maricopa residents have until 29 days prior to the election, or Oct. 4, to register to vote in the election.

In an open letter to InMaricopa, Mayor Christian Price underscored the importance of the election not just to the school district, but the city as a whole.

“Money used in our community schools is a direct investment in ourselves and into our local economy,” he wrote. “In 2016, the override for MUSD helped attract quality teachers to our district and our city. These dedicated professionals have helped lower class sizes, increased graduation rates, advanced all-time high scholarships awards, taught hundred more students each year, and so much more.”

The current override, approved by voters in 2016, allows the district to exceed its budget by 10%, about $5 million per year. The additional funding has a substantial impact on schools.

“That $5 million equates to about 70 teachers and counselors,” said Superintendent Tracey Lopeman. “Most of the funding goes to (salaries). Also, $500,000 goes to the RAM Academy and $500,000 to technology, for which the last override helped meet the district’s 1:1 goal of a laptop for every student and teacher.”

Christine Dickinson, the district’s technology coordinator and member of the Yes for Maricopa Schools Political Action Committee, said the override has led to some amazing changes in the district.

“We have a computer for every child,” Dickinson said. “The district now has an inventory of over 8,000 computers, and every teacher has their own laptop. Our new, updated technology, thanks to the override, is much more efficient and more mobile, so during the pandemic they could take the computer home with them. (The override) is a necessity.”

If each student didn’t have their own laptop, “we would have been in really rough shape with the COVID outbreak,” Lopeman said. “We would not have been able to conduct remote learning like we did with all our students.”

Funding has been an issue for MUSD schools for years. In 2019, MUSD asked voters to approve a $68 million bond issue to build the new high school. It was defeated.

The state’s failure to adequately fund education is always a challenge, according to Councilmember Bob Marsh.

“The upcoming vote Nov. 2 is for continuing the school district budget increase we Maricopa voters approved in 2016,” Marsh says in a PAC testimonial. “It helps make up for reductions in school funding coming from the state, where the Legislature has a history of meager education funding.”

As Maricopa’s population has soared over the past decade, so have the number of district students. Enrollment in the nine MUSD schools has risen from 6,184 in 2015-16 to 8,088 this year, a 31% increase. Enrollment is projected to be 9,441 in 2025-26.

Supporters say the override is crucial to keep pace with that growth.

The cost to continue funding the override is 38 cents per day per $100,000 of assessed home value. That would be $14.82 per month for a homeowner with the average assessed value of $130,340.

Lopeman said perhaps the primary benefit of the override is smaller class sizes – even with the massive growth in student population. Prior to the 2016 override, the district’s target for class sizes in K-5 was 32.7 students per class. With the override in place, the K-5 targets were lowered to 26.

“When you have class sizes that are low, that’s one way to attract and maintain quality teachers,” Lopeman said. “When we attract and maintain quality staff, the quality of our product continues to elevate. One of the biggest benefits to this is having class sizes that are enviable.”

A failure to extend the override would potentially stark consequences. While the quality of education will remain high due to the district’s high-quality teachers, Lopeman said, the educational experience for children, and the work environment for the teachers and staff, would be diminished.

A loss of override funding would likely mean a reduction of 6-8 teachers in each of the six elementary schools, up to 11 fewer teachers in each middle school and another 11 at the high school, the district projects. Other cuts could include a RAM counselor, a RAM teacher on special assignment, three elementary school counselors, two instructional tech specialists and one elementary school librarian.

Lopeman said in addition to addressing the shortcomings in the state’s funding of schools, the override can have broader implications for the community.

“The State of Arizona does not fund low class size,” Lopeman said. “It does not fund technology the way that it should. So, when we have this additional funding that the voters approved, it creates class sizes and systems that are attractive to teachers. When we can tell a teacher their community supports them, that’s attractive.

“What if we can get teachers to invest in, and move to, and stay in Maricopa? That elevates our whole community.”

MUSD is not alone in seeking an override extension. Several other area districts have them in place. The Kyrene, Tempe Elementary, Tempe Union and Chandler Unified districts all have 15% overrides; the Casa Grande Elementary and Casa Grande Union High School districts are at 10%.