Phoenix, AZ 85007. email: [email protected] All rights reserved. by Maria Polletta and Shaena Montanari, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting August 17, 2021, This article first appeared on Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
. This is a lie. "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. I am tired of legislative leaders playing political games with public schools, educators and students. US schools close again as children's mental health declared national Its time to choose. Gov. Ducey announces Arizona schools closed through end of school year Back in 1980, a cap on school funding, also known as an Aggregate Expenditure Limit, was added to the Arizona Constitution. A lot of those kids are now back in school, but thats affecting the limit by about $300 million, he said. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . Phase 2, 2022-2023. 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 . Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. Katherine Fung 12/23/2021. Michael Tubbs, once the youngest mayor of a major American city, to address UArizona graduates at Commencement. So says the governor who has actually foughtschools that enact public health policies aimed at staying open. January 6, 2022 at 11:22 a.m. EST. In Arizona, he said on Tuesday, were going to ensure continued access to in-person learning.. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. That has a negative economic impact on all of us. Close your doors for even a day and you will . Yes. But in 2018, the Legislature extended Proposition 301, without exempting it. TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Arizona Superintendent Kathy Hoffman is urging lawmakers to lift the school spending cap as public schools are facing nearly $1.2 billion in budget cuts. Arizona superintendent urges lawmakers to act as schools face closure ticking timebomb, Superintendent Hoffman says schools face closure ticking timebomb, Tucson marks first 100-degree day of 2023, WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO of officer-involved fatal shooting, Gov. Garcia said the money returns to the Legislature and gets put back into a savings account and cannot be spent. Now, if only he would quit fighting schools that enact policies aimed at staying open. Hoax post claims US schools are closing again | Fact Check In a news release, Ducey, alongside . 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. Brown has previously interned at MSNBC, NBC 5 Chicago and PBS NewsHour West. Maria Polletta is an investigative reporter for AZCIR focused on covering inequities in education. 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. Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs doesnt think the Legislature will act before the March 1 deadline. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7c0c320a4bc898f7 2023 Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. This tracker links to some school districts in the county that have their own dashboards, where they further break down case numbers by school. While the education system was strained due to the COVID-19 pandemic and learning shifts, Hoffman said the biggest threat to schools is far from the virus or its complications. Were not talking about shifting to remote learning. In an abrupt reversal, Atlanta's public schools start the year remotely. Lets get this straight. Now, schools cant even spend the still inadequate funds they were counting on to keep our schools open? Watch Now. Its time to work together for the good of our children, families, communityand the future of this great state. Though campuses are closed, the remote . So, districts already have the state-approved money in their bank accounts. Twenty-six Republican lawmakers have asked Ducey to withhold federal funding from and initiate legal action against any district that ignores the ban. Itll be scheduled, and I think most people expect that itll be passed by enough to make (the overages) no longer an issue.. School closures and shifts to remote instruction are quickly becoming less common as COVID case rates drop in many states. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. It requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Pinal County has a dashboard that shows cumulative cases by the area each school district covers, but not cases specifically from schools. We also thank our legislative partners for passing legislation ensuring all educators and staff see no disruption in pay. The measure did not need to be signed by the Governor. Though legislators stipulated the ban would apply retroactively, they did not have the two-thirds majority required to circumvent the typical 90-day waiting period. 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. I get the decision out when I get it out., Ducey defends use of school funding in face of feds threat to reclaim it. No schools were reported several weeks in January and February. 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. Ultimately, on Feb. 21, 2022, lawmakers in the Arizona State Senate voted 23-6 to waive a constitutional spending cap for K-12 school spending, a week after members of the State House voted on the measure. PHOENIX Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman held her 2022 State of Education address Tuesday afternoon, heavily focusing on the . Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. It is adjusted each year to take into account inflation and the number of students who are enrolled. One scenario anticipates a school year closure as of March 19. That might mean cuts to labor forces meaning that our staff and teachers will get cut. This limitation excludes charter schools and only applies to district public schools. Tell that to parents where COVID cases, test shortages are closing schools. These efforts are crucial, and we recognize that schools are making every effort possible to continue providing instruction during closures. Is there anyone who wants to put them through that again? Mind you we already have a severe teacher and staff shortage at this point, said Margaret Cheney, the president of the Tucson Education Association. Close your doors for even a day and you will pay. Then stop playing politics with our children and follow your own advice. Arizona public schools once again at risk of massive budget cuts and If the Legislature doesnt override the limit, schools will only have a couple of months to cut $1.2 billion.. However, this wont just affect families with school-age children. 5 Glendale elementary schools could close - The Arizona Republic With this announcement, we are making sure parents and families have options if a school closes its doors, he said. Matt Zalaznick is a life-long journalist. And students are still trying to recover from the impact of COVID-induced learning interruptions. "That would mean laying off two-thirds of the teachers," said Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne. From how it spreads to where it originated, here's a look at everything you need to know about the deadly contagion. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. 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. The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report. This is something that shouldnt be an issue, but, unfortunately, the majority in the Legislature has decided to make it an issue.. and last updated 9:42 AM, Feb 09, 2022. Do schools and child care establishments have to report COVID-19 outbreaks to their local health departments? Not 2020 again? "That would be an incredible disaster. 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. Mental health breakdowns soared while academic achievement plummeted. PHOENIX - Governor Doug Ducey announced Monday that Arizona schools will be closed through the end of the school year amid the coronavirus pandemic. During her State of Education address at the Capitol on Tuesday, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman said if the cap isnt overridden by March 1, public school districts will have to cut 16% of their individual budgets before April 1. For 2023, school district officials say they will be forced to cut their budgets for the current school year by more than $1.3 billion. Consequently, this list will no longer be updated unless case rates again force a substantial number of schools to close. Or, they will have to close schools altogether by April 1. Due to a high number of new Covid cases, Atlanta Public Schools went remote for the first week of the new year, with a . Todays announcement is intended to give parents and educators as much certainty as possible so they can plan and make decisions. All rights reserved. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Do we ask our people to work for free for the last few months of the year? said Hector Encinas, the CFO for Sunnyside Schools. The deadline for a decision is March 1. Prop 208 is a voter-approved tax hike on high-earners. Why are schools closing for COVID again? | The Week A democrat from Chandler has introduced a bill to eliminate the cap all together. 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. AZCIR holds powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism. Creative Commons. Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic, Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District, Maricopa County Community College District, You must credit us: For bylines, use Author Name, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. At the top of the text of the story, include a line that reads: "This story was originally published by the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting." Gov. 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. Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education. Kathy Hoffman stresses threat of budget cuts on AZ schools Eighty-five percent of our budget is salary and benefits. We all have to reduce our budgets by April 1 if they dont approve the budget, so at that point, we cant over expand our budget, she said. Interactive Coronavirus case data and map, Coronavirus in Arizona: Latest case numbers, Coronavirus: Symptoms, testing and how to prepare amid growing COVID-19 outbreak, How coronavirus differs from flu: Symptoms to watch for, Is it the flu, a cold or COVID-19? The Legislature has until March 1 to override the spending cap. 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. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. In a public letter dated Aug. 11, they contended a resounding message must be delivered to any local government or subdivision of the state considering defying state law that lawlessness will not be tolerated.. Politics, cell towers and hate speech: Why 3 more superintendents are Florida schools move closer to a 12-month school year. K-12 closings tracker: Schools are sticking to in-person learning as said Lewis. If districts were to spend the money anyway, that money would be pulled out of the next years budget. District Administration. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The formula that calculates school district spending is based on spending from the 1979-80 school year, according to the Arizona Center for Economic Progress. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. 360 Hiatt Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Schools across the country are shutting down again. We knew this was going to become an issue. Superintendent Hoffman is also asking lawmakers to pass a bill that would ultimately repeal the spending cap, avoiding a showdown like this one, again. Menu. "This year, it seems it's turned into a little bit . The Legislature could and should pass a concurrent resolution before March 1 that will allow districts to exceed the Aggregate Expenditure Limit (AEL). Outbreaks, quarantines and closures in AZ schools - Arizona Center for 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.. Oh sure, COVID-19 is spiking yet again with the highly contagious omicron variant. You must use our. In partnership with Esri and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), we've created the information below to keep you informed of the changes and impact of COVID-19 on school operational plans at the district level. Horne, for his part, says he is in support of lifting the cap and is even considering a repeal. In June, Arizonas Republican-led Legislature passed a state budget package that included a controversial provision prohibiting school districts from requiring masks. The Arizona Republics Stephanie Innes in December reported that the vast majority of COVID-19 deaths, since the vaccine became available, have been in people who were not fully vaccinated. Its going to be very, very hard to do.. Districts will be forced to lay off huge numbers of teachers, resulting in enormous class sizes. Lane, who is a digital production intern with The Arizona Republic, is working for the Phoenix news bureau.
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