MUSD board to discuss override

The Maricopa Unified School District governing board will discuss Wednesday whether to ask voters to approve in November an override of its Maintenance and Operations budget.

Last month, the district formed an override recommendation committee to discuss the option in response to the Legislature’s cut to next year’s public-charter school funding by about one quarter and its decision to then stop funding it all together.

The district will now receive $2.7 million from the state to operate its charters – less than the $3.7 million it had expected prior to the budget cut.

The board must approve placing an override question on the ballot.

According to the district’s report, the majority of the committee favors asking voters for a 15 percent override to last seven years. The committee also reached a consensus that the override should be placed on the November 2014 ballot.

Arizona law allows school districts to get voter approval to override the state’s approved funding limit by up to 15 percent.

Maintenance and Operations funds are used for classroom supplies, academic programs, utilities, salaries, and benefits.

“Maricopa needs to pass an override,” said Josh Judd, a member of the override recommendation committee. “The state’s (education) funding is not reliable. That funding has trended downward the past few years.”

Judd said MUSD needs to pass an override to protect itself against these reductions in state funding, and the most successful school systems are those that pass overrides.

“They are successful because the community does what it can to make a difference for its school system,” he said, adding he favors a seven-year override.

Jeff Kramarczyk, a member of the committee and a parent with children in the district schools, said he also favors placing an override on the ballot.

“With the budget constraints the district has been working under for years, it has been able to work and improve within these constraints,” Kramarczyk said. “It is important (now) to give the district additional help – a shot in the arm – to further that progress and expand its programs.”

According to the report, the committee reached consensus to ask for an override to fund:
• additional teachers to reduce the size of classes
• gifted and honors programs
• fine arts
• foreign language
• physical education
• extra-curricular activities
• athletics
• instructional technology

The committee voted on four proposals, only two of which received support:
1. Seven years at 7 percent (0 votes)
2. Seven years at 15 percent (32 votes)
3. One year at 9 percent (0 votes)
4. Seven years at 10 percent (15 votes)

The committee recommended three options to the superintendent:
1. Seven years at 15 percent
2. Seven years at 7 percent
3. Five years at 5 percent

***ADVERTISEMENT***“There was a consensus that the override should fund the types of things that will attract parents and their children to MUSD and assist the school district in pursuing the goal of becoming an A rated school district,” as stated in the committee’s report.

The district failed to pass its last five overrides, according to a district document. In 2005, the district passed a 10-percent override for seven years.

Seventy-five percent of Arizona schools have a Maintenance and Operations override in effect, the report states.

Also on the board’s agenda is a discussion on the upcoming school year’s proposed $31.4 million budget.

MUSD’s governing board meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the district office, 44150 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. Click here to view the complete agenda.