By Sophie Allen-Etchart (CEO, Read Better Be Better), Courtney Sullivan (Executive Director, Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence), Karen Johnson (President & CEO, New Pathways for Youth), Dana Bailey (Co-CEO, Homeless Youth Connection)
When we go to the ballot box in November, we’ll be asked to weigh in on Proposition (Prop) 320, a measure which would fundamentally change how Arizona’s public school districts operate. As leaders of local nonprofit organizations that partner directly with public school districts, we know our district partners are already struggling to stretch increasingly skinny budgets each year. Prop 320 would force districts to make impossible choices to balance their budget.
Thousands of voters will be seeing Proposition 320 for the first time when they open their ballot. On the surface, the neutrally phrased description of Prop 320 will sound like common sense—certain public school districts are required to spend 60% of their operating budget on “direct instruction.” As educators, we would certainly love to see more resources for our students and classrooms. But the impact of Prop 320 goes far beyond the classroom.
What isn’t included in “direct instruction” are support functions like nurses, librarians, bus drivers and afterschool programs that are critical to student success. Public District schools have a legal mandate to accept all students and provide an education that meets their unique needs. That means these districts must catch students falling behind and provide them with the additional dynamic and sometime extensive resources they need to thrive. These are the same services that would have to be cut to comply with this proposition.
The loudest argument for Prop 320 is that it will increase teacher pay. But this proposition does not deliver on its marketing promise. It is of the utmost importance that Arizonans understand that there is no guarantee this money would go towards teacher pay. In reality, without an unprecedented injection of revenue, districts would be forced to meet the 60% threshold by cutting vital support services. Even if teacher pay increased, teachers would likely be forced to take on the responsibilities of counselors, coaches, and support staff on top of all we already ask of them. And the penalty for districts who do not comply with the new 60% mandate would be a reduction of public funding from the very fund that provides for teacher pay.
Prop 320 would also apply unevenly. The 60% mandate covers public school districts only. Public charter schools, which enroll about one in five Arizona public school students, are not covered, and neither are private schools or the more than 100,000 students using Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, a program the state now funds at over $1 billion a year. That’s more than 300,000 students whose schools or education funding fall outside the rules Prop 320 would impose on districts. If a spending standard is worth imposing, voters should ask why it applies to some publicly funded education and not others. This proposition is not good policy. Our legislature is asking voters for a mandate to strong-arm district schools, without giving them the desperately needed resources to do so. At best, it’s a feeble attempt to patch a broken system with a solution that will cause more harm than good. At worst, it’s an attempt to dismantle our district public schools, disguised as a way to support them.
As we prepare to vote, we need to keep in mind what matters most in education: the students themselves. What our students need most is expanded access to resources and support, not more confusing legislation interfering in the classroom. As voters, we expect any education proposal on the ballot to be transparent, informed by educators, and thoughtfully considered with students at the center of intended outcomes. Prop 320 is none of those things.
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Sophie Allen-Etchart is the Founder and CEO of Read Better Be Better. Courtney Sullivan is the Executive Director of the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence. Karen Johnson is the President and CEO of New Pathways for Youth. Dana Bailey is the Co-CEO of Homeless Youth Connection. These Arizona nonprofits promote youth development and education and partner directly with Arizona public school districts.