2026 Prop320

Prop 320 would cut ANOTHER Billion dollars from Schools!  Vote No.

It is a terrible proposition, masquerading as an idea to require better use of education dollars, but in truth it is another bomb from the Republican tool-chest to destroy public education.   

Bottom Line:  This terrible Prop 320 means CUTS to school district students,  whether schools comply or not. 

 If the school does Not (or cannot) comply then CUTs for students: 

If "Instruction"  is less than 60% of a school district's operational spending,  then this Prop would punish the students and teachers in the school by taking away their "Classroom Site Funding."  Voters created the CSF to improve K12 funding,  and to promote performance pay for teachers.  It's a program that intends to reward better work with a little better pay.  This prop would reverse what voters approved in 2001.

Result:  less money for teacher pay, technology, music and art, sports, PE, science labs,  etc.   Literally, less money for classrooms. 

 If the school Does Comply then CUTs: 

60% is an arbitrary number that the Republican propaganda machine pulled out of their .... pocket. 

To comply with this inane number, schools would have to CUT JOBS and CUT HELP TO STUDENTS.  They would have to cut from counselors, custodians, bus drivers, technology staff, math and literacy specialists,  special ed teachers, and a long list of everybody that helps students, but is not narrowly defined as a classroom teacher.  With those cuts done, the school would have to move that money for counselors, etc. to classroom teachers. The result will be that classroom teachers' burden will be increased as they lose the support from all the other educators like tech help and math-teaching specialists, meaning that the classroom teacher has LESS time for students. 

We could name school districts that do meet the 60% rule, but have bad academic results.  I will not name them because that would be rude and pointless. 

Many school districts with great academics do Not meet the arbitrary 60% rule, so Prop320 is Not a method to improve student outcomes.  

Prop 320 is harmful to students. -- What does "Instruction" mean anyway?    

"Instruction" obviously means teachers, aides, and books in the classroom. To comply, a school would have to cut something from an area that also supports classrooms such as:

Counselors, math and reading specialists, speech pathologists and other special education professionals, SRO s and safety officers, buses, fuel, technology, and maintenance.    See the list at the OAG website glossary page click here. 

   
Out of all the things schools use to help students learn, Prop 320 requires 60% be spent only on "Instruction" - circled in red above. 

We need more funding for K12 education -- including charters and ESA vouchers.   All AZ K12 students deserve better. 

Arizona ranks among the lowest in per pupil funding year after year, and it has not kept up with inflation. This prop would make it worse for our students. 

To get the best results from your education tax dollars politicians should not micromanage whether a school hires a counselor or a crossing guard.  

Please vote No.

The bad, smoke-filled room politics behind Prop 320:  

1. Republicans created this Prop to hurt your child’s public school.
2. They literally came up with an arbitrary reason to cut funding to schools.  By setting it at 60% they will hurt most public school districts. 
   1. To get rural Republicans to vote for it,  they designed the punishments to not affect rural Republican legislators’ districts.  Republican politicians do not want to explain big job losses to their constituents in areas where there are few other jobs, and the public school is a major employer.
   2. This prop will push school districts to Fire a lot of people who support teachers:  Technology staff, reading coaches, counselors, SROs, and all the people who are not the classroom teacher. 
3. Republican lawmakers are to blame for Arizona having the worst teacher pay,   biggest class sizes,  and worst funding per pupil.  
4. About 75% of students are likely to be hurt, and only 2 school districts might avoid the hatchet.
   1. Over 700,000 students are likely to be hurt by Prop 320, about ¾ of Arizona’s students.   
   2. 88 school districts are likely to get funding cuts out of the 90 school districts this law affects.

Republican Legislators:  Wild Waste in ESA Private Program,  and Inane Red Tape in Public Schools with Prop 320. 

Arizona students already are hurt by the billion dollars  cut from public schools  to  go to the ESA program.  ESA Vouchers have far too much waste  as parents use education dollars for diamond rings, lingerie, ski trips and worse.  It could be a good program if it had better regulations,  but it has practically No Accountability.   This Prop 320  would cut ANOTHER $1 billion dollars from K12 district schools via the classroom site fund, and add more ridiculous red tape for public district schools,  while leaving the ESA Vouchers to private education be a wild west for abuse and waste.    

The sponsor, Republican Rep. Matt Gress talks the talk about more money for the classroom,  but his actions and bills take money away from public schools. 

He claims that this bill will put more money into the classroom, but the bill actually takes money OUT of classrooms!
Please vote "No." 

Is Your Child's School on the list? 
These school districts are likely to Lose even more funding because Republicans are determined to destroy public education.

This list is from a report I requested from the Office of the Auditor General that shows schools that have not met the arbitrary 60% rule in recent years.