MUSD may hire more teachers to reduce class sizes

The Maricopa Unified School District governing board will discuss and could vote Wednesday to hire additional elementary school teachers to reduce class sizes.

Hiring five additional elementary school teachers is a recommendation from the district budget committee, said Superintendent Steve Chestnut.

The board will also consider another recommendation on the same agenda to reduce class size – this one as part of an override measure the district may later vote to place on the November ballot. Only one option goes before the board Wednesday.

Override option No. 1 proposes a 5 percent override to last seven years, according to the agenda. The override would raise $1 million for the purpose of hiring 19 additional teachers – four elementary gifted/art/tech teachers, two middle school honors teachers and two honors high school teachers. This override would raise another $350,000 for instructional technology for a total of $1.35 million.   

Three other override options – 7 percent, 9 percent and 15 percent over seven years – will also be discussed in the work-study session.

Another item before the board is a possible vote to approve $200,000 for technology and $300,000 for its academic focus programs for the upcoming school year. This is part of the district’s proposed budget to spend the $2.3 million the state will pay the district in public charter school funding.

“The tech department needs additional funds to make sure infrastructure and student work stations can support new state testing requirements, as well as improve daily use,” the state report stated. “Each school needs additional funds to continue implementation of their academic focus.”

***ADVERTISEMENT***The board meets at 6:30 p.m. at the District Office Administration Building, 44150 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. Click here to view the complete agenda.