Published: Feb. 8, 2022 at 5:11 PM PST. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Were not talking about shifting to remote learning. Public schools in Atlanta, Georgia also marked August 4, 2021 as the first day of the 2021-2022 academic year. 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 . 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." 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. They have not overspent. 5 Glendale elementary schools could close - The Arizona Republic Its going to be very, very hard to do.. A democrat from Chandler has introduced a bill to eliminate the cap all together. "When this was set in 1980, we didn't have Chrome tablets or whiteboards or any of the stuff that we have now that teaches our kids," State Sen. Fann said at the time. Gov. Doug Ducey, there is no plot afoot to close Arizona schools Think of the economic impact on our community that comes from laying off thousands of teachers and staff. 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. As a result, school districts cannot legally spend the money the Legislature already approved months ago as part of the state budget. Berry said she and fellow financial officers of neighboring school districts dont know where the money from the budgets will go if the Legislature doesnt override the cap. Consequently, this list will no longer be updated unless case rates again force a substantial number of schools to close. The latest Arizona headlines, national news events of the day + sports and weather updates. Gov. Sara Edwards expects to graduate in May 2022 with a masters degree focused on business journalism. Whatever the case, it means even more stress on already stressed-out students, parentsand teachers. 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.. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. School closures and shifts to remote instruction are quickly becoming less common as COVID case rates drop in many states. According to Bridge Michigan, over 6% of the state's K-12 students missed at least one day of in-person classes this week due to COVID-related shutdowns. Close your doors for even a day and you will . 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? Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . We already see it in the number of employers frustrated by the lack of qualified workers. Stay informed of the rapid school district changes with the below Which states are hurting the most when it comes to teacher How To Work With Our Editorial Department. Hoffman said without suspending the aggregate expenditure limit, schools are at risk of further budget cuts, which would ultimately result in more bus driver shortages, more teacher layoffs, and the loss of academic and extracurricular programs, if not the complete closure of some schools. Performance & security by Cloudflare. USA TODAY. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We saw what it did to our kids. In Arizona, he said on Tuesday, were going to ensure continued access to in-person learning.. Its time we ask ourselves the question: Is it fair to continue asking children to sacrifice and suffer in order to protect unvaccinated adults? But education advocates fear the Legislature isnt taking the cap seriously enough and that the March 1 deadline to approve the override will pass with no action taken, forcing districts to cut their budgets in the final quarter of the school year. Nearly 300 schools in the U.S. will remain closed for in-person classes after the winter break in an effort to address growing concerns over the latest COVID surge of . Or more specifically, we will pay … for parents to send their kids to private school. With your help, AZCIR has set out to provide a more comprehensive, regularly updated picture of where students and staff are contracting COVID-19 across Arizonaand how schools are responding. The cap only affects district public schools; charter schools did not exist in 1980. He said he has sympathy for districts larger than his who face an even greater loss. So that cash will just sit there, we believe.. "Back then in '80, we had schoolbooks and chalkboards and all kinds of things that didn't cost near as much.". By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. And students are still trying to recover from the impact of COVID-induced learning interruptions. Anna Campbell expects to graduate in May 2023 with bachelors degrees in English and journalism and mass communication. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. 1740 W. Adams, Suite 3008. This limitation excludes charter schools and only applies to district public schools. Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs doesnt think the Legislature will act before the March 1 deadline. Though some counties and school districts are monitoring outbreaks at the local level, there is no centralized tracking system. According to Education Forward Arizona, the Legislature last overrode the gap in 2007 and 2008. Arizona public schools face a funding cliff that could force closures The action you just performed triggered the security solution. "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. PHOENIX - Governor Doug Ducey announced Monday that Arizona schools will be closed through the end of the school year amid the coronavirus pandemic. In the past, when districts hit the decades-old aggregate expenditure limit, lawmakers voted to override it which hasnt happened this school year. 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.. Failing to act will harm students and families, Hoffman told legislators Tuesday in her address. 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. Duceys wrong to use the pandemic as an excuse to expand school vouchers. Creative Commons. "This year, it seems it's turned into a little bit . The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 KOLD News 13. A two-thirds majority of the Legislature is needed to override the cap and allow the $1.2 billion to be spent. Outbreaks, quarantines and closures in AZ schools - Arizona Center for Cloudflare Ray ID: 7c0c320a4bc898f7 Arizona schools to close for the rest of the school year due to coronavirus The biggest threat of widespread school closures comes not from the virus, but a school finance relic from 1980s, she said. A lot of those kids are now back in school, but thats affecting the limit by about $300 million, he said. Getting Back to School | ABC15 Arizona - KNXV 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. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Arizonas schools may be forced to shut down as early as April 1 this spring. Reassign students to Challenger or Don . Now, schools cant even spend the still inadequate funds they were counting on to keep our schools open? Avoid close contact with people who are sick. In a news release, Ducey, alongside . We also thank our legislative partners for passing legislation ensuring all educators and staff see no disruption in pay. Hoffman stressed the importance of school funding, saying in a written copy of her address, the biggest threat of widespread school closures comes not from the virus, but a school finance relic from 1980, the aggregate expenditure limit.. Mental health breakdowns soared while academic achievement plummeted. 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. 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It affects all of us. Horne, for his part, says he is in support of lifting the cap and is even considering a repeal. We need an override by the Legislature, and then we need to fix it for the future.. Or search for your Arizona school district by name or zip: A L. M Z. Agua Fria Union High School District. Pinal County has a dashboard that shows cumulative cases by the area each school district covers, but not cases specifically from schools. But nearly three months later, details surrounding the timing, implementation and enforcement of the law remain unclear. 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. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Published: Feb. 7, 2022 at 3:20 PM PST. Then stop playing politics with our children and follow your own advice. AZCIR is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, Tax ID #46-1209940. The measure did not need to be signed by the Governor. Business, finance, policy, compliance, operations. Prop 208 is a voter-approved tax hike on high-earners. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. All republished content delivered onlinemust have a link to AZCIRand include all of the links in our story. Katherine Fung 12/23/2021. Matt Zalaznick is a life-long journalist. Erin Richards. Hannah must make his decision by March 10, after the deadline for the Legislature to override the spending cap, but Hannah said he could not pinpoint when he would rule., There are no ulterior motives, he told The Republic. Copyright 2022 KOLD News 13. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Schools across the country are shutting down again. No schools were reported several weeks in January and February. The Fifty. Madison School . A spending limit set 40 years ago doesnt work today. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The issue of the funding cap has nothing to do with COVID-19, masks, or vaccines. Coconino County publishes a COVID-19 school update every Friday that summarizes case rate and percent positivity at district level. However, not all agree with repealing the spending cap. 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 . 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. In a statement, Arizona Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said: Legislative leaders have less than one month to prevent Arizonas school districts from facing existential budget cuts. This is a lie. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". It reduces the burden on taxpayers and improves the economy for all of us. We changed the rules on schools. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 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. 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. Not because of COVID-19 this time, but because of a perfect storm of problems with our state's school funding system. (Arizona public school funding, by the way, alreadyranks lowest in the nation). One scenario anticipates a school year closure as of March 19. The previous survey's results (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022) remain available in . 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. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. The aggregate expenditures of local revenues for all school districts shall not exceed the limitation prescribed in this section. The money would go towards teacher salaries and schools. This is their way of saying no to 208 even though the voters passed it overwhelmingly, she said. As schools and education advocates are biting their nails waiting for the overrides, Kavanagh said hes pretty confident that the budget will be approved. Menu. Campbell, who was a senior reporter at The State Press, is working for the Phoenix news bureau. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. That depends; county health departments in Arizona can issue quarantine guidance. Do students and staff have to quarantine if they are exposed to COVID in schools? Thats a death rate of 0.02%. Arizona school districts face nearly $1.2 billion in budget cuts All stories must run in their entirety unless otherwise noted or agreed upon after discussion with AZCIR. They may get sick but for them it is, thank God, more like getting the flu than getting a death sentence. and last updated 9:42 AM, Feb 09, 2022. 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. 360 Hiatt Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. Watch Now. Shaena Montanari is an investigative reporter for AZCIR focused on covering health disparities. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. A clear picture of school-based COVID-19 outbreaks has so far proven elusive . Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . There is no other choice but to suspend and repeal the cap.. By: Sheenae Shannon, AEA Communications Director. Two-thirds of each house of the legislature would need to vote on a concurrent resolution to approve the excess spending. Photos, graphics and other visual elements are permitted for one-time-use only. Gov. Ducey announces Arizona schools closed through end of school year And as state and local officials argue over the bans merit, COVID-19 continues to spread. Email covid.edu@azcir.org, or contact AZCIRs reporters: Which school districts have mask mandates in place? Its kind of like kicking our kids when theyre already down, isnt it? The deadline for a decision is March 1. Similar Facebook posts were shared in early August 2021 claiming some schools are closing their doors again, such as here, . K-12 closings tracker: Schools are sticking to in-person learning as Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The restrictions now apply statewide with cases reported in all 15 counties. John Brown expects to graduate in May 2023 with a bachelors degree in journalism and a minor in political science. 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. First Name Last Name Email Please indicate your role in your school or district. The Sunnyside School District says it will lose more than $16 million dollars in funding. While Arizona is a leader in providing parents options when it comes to the education of their children - the solution is not as simple as school choice. While these cuts only impact district schools, our public charter schools wont be able to absorb the students that might lose access to their primary district school if these cuts go through and as we know, in many communities the district is the only choice available.. 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. I originally planned to give a different speech today, she said. PHOENIX (AP) Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema reported raising just over $2.1 million in her first full fundraising quarter since leaving the Democratic Party, a smaller haul than the $3.7 million raised by Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is hoping to win her seat in 2024. 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. Arizonas children lost precious years of childhood. In an abrupt reversal, Atlanta's public schools start the year remotely. Investing in education ensures we have a pipeline of qualified workers and innovators. She said, for example, the Washington Elementary School District would lose over $25 million, Miami Unified School District would lose nearly $2 million, and Deer Valley Unified School District would lose more than $36 million. January 6, 2022 at 11:22 a.m. EST. They also asked the governor to authorize Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, or school vouchers, for all students trapped in those districts. As of Dec. 6, she reported, there had been 608 breakthrough COVID-19 deaths in fully vaccinated people in Arizona. 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. /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. 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. 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. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Similar Facebook posts were shared in early August 2021 claiming some schools are closing their doors again, . But we have some legislators who didnt like 208, and theyre still fighting it in court. State health officials said there are now 1,157 known coronavirus cases and 20 deaths. State Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said the amendment was a way to placate Arizonans concerned about high taxes. Tell that to parents where COVID cases, test shortages are closing schools. 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. While Duceys threat should play well for him politically especially with those always looking for an angle to expand the states school voucher program I wasnt aware that there was any groundswell of support for closing Arizonas schools. If the state legislature does nothing to lift a constitutionally-mandated spending cap, public schools could be looking at over a billion dollars in spending cuts. FOX 10's Stephanie Bennett reports. Katie Hobbs signs house bill to fund Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, American Airlines pilots authorize strike; pickets planned at Phoenix Sky Harbor. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Or, they will have to close schools altogether by April 1. January 7, 2022. Gov. */. Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said a familiar issue is still the most pressing one for education in our state. Our number one priority will continue to be health and safety, and we will continue to work closely with public health officials to make the best decisions for kids, families, and our school communities.. It requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers. 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. In the past, said Chuck Essigs, the director of governmental relations for the Arizona Association of School Business Officials, overriding the limit was a technicality that was resolved quickly however, that wasnt the case this year. 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.. You must use our. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 2023-2024 calendars are being added as they become available. However, he says he is hopeful that a decision will be made relatively soon. Teachers' strikes latest: Everything you need to know about strike The Legislature has until March 1 to override the spending cap. Do schools and child care establishments have to report COVID-19 outbreaks to their local health departments? 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. Taylor Lane expects to graduate in May 2022 with a bachelors degree in journalism. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. 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. Another looks to April 2. Arizona continues to rank dead last in the nation in per-student investment, according to Education Law Centers. The irony is that this spring, school districts are running into something called the aggregate expenditure limit (AEL) that was created more than40 years ago. Read more at UArizona News. Eighty-five percent of our budget is salary and benefits. 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. 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. Politics, cell towers and hate speech: Why 3 more superintendents are Florida schools move closer to a 12-month school year. Cowboys O-Line Target Steve Avila of TCU Drafted by Rams Due to a high number of new Covid cases, Atlanta Public Schools went remote for the first week of the new year, with a . These efforts are crucial, and we recognize that schools are making every effort possible to continue providing instruction during closures. Politicians are holding our school districts hostage to try to get their way on two things that arent related, Secretary Hobbs said. Theres no new taxes, no new money involved in any of that, and its really difficult for anyone to understand because its a complex topic, she said. 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 . How aggressively will the state enforce the ban? The Associated Press contributed to this report. From how it spreads to where it originated, here's a look at everything you need to know about the deadly contagion. Edwards, who graduated from ASU in 2021, has interned with Phoenix New Times, Phoenix Magazine and Crime and Justice News. You must link the words "Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting" to the original URL of the story.

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