Legislative Committee

Proposed Legislative Requirements

Bills moving through education committees would require school districts to:

• Hire a literacy coach at every school (No state funding provided)
• Reach 75% third-grade reading proficiency by 2030 (No additional funding or instructional support)
• Increase third-grade retention
• Redirect existing district budgets toward literacy interventions (Resulting in cuts to other student programs and services)

The proposals create unfunded mandates that shift costs to local school districts.

MUSD Investments

MUSD has proactively invested in early literacy without waiting for mandates.

• Explicit, phonics-based instruction that integrates phonics, spelling, writing, and language development
• 94% of K–2 teachers Spalding trained, ensuring consistent, high-quality literacy instruction
• Reading Specialists supporting students and classroom teachers
• Proven results: Kindergarten reading proficiency saw a 12% increase in benchmark scores from fall to winter

Why Funding Matters

Requiring districts to meet new literacy mandates without funding would mean:

• Cutting resources from other critical student supports
• Reducing programs valued by families and communities
• Focusing on compliance instead of sustainable improvement

Sustainable literacy outcomes require partnership, realistic timelines, and funded support, not unfunded mandates.

Legislative Proposal

Governor Hobbs’ budget recommendation calls for the Legislature to refer Prop 123 renewal to voters, restoring the 6.9% distribution from the State Land Trust to support school facilities and classrooms:

• $36.8M for School Facilities Renewal Bond debt service (growing to $110M annually)
• $271.3M additional increase to the K–12 base level (flexible funding for teacher salaries, staffing, and maintenance & operations)

MUSD Investments

MUSD continues to hire and retain educators through responsible fiscal management:

• Classroom teacher salaries increased 50% from 2019–2026
• The MUSD average teacher salary exceeded the state average since 2022
• Estimated 2026 average classroom teacher salary: $68,450

MUSD teachers average 10.12 years of experience, exceeding the state average of 9.54 years

Why Funding Matters

Sustainable, flexible funding allows districts to:

• Continue competitive teacher pay to retain experienced educators
• Maintain safe, functional school facilities
• Avoid diverting dollars from other student programs
• Make long-term investments instead of short-term fixes

Prop 123 renewal supports stability, local decision-making, and classroom success, without shifting costs to districts.

Legislative Proposal

Governor Hobbs’ budget proposes raising $1.5 billion for school facility maintenance through a three-year bond plan:

• $500M annually for three years for the School Facilities Board
• Funded through an increased State Land Trust distribution
• Intended to support maintenance, renewal, and construction costs statewide

MUSD Investments

MUSD has taken proactive steps to build and maintain schools despite rising construction costs:

• Built Desert Sunrise High School without local bond funds, using $17M in one-time district reserves to supplement the state’s construction formula
• Passed a local bond in 2024 to help offset increasing school construction costs
• Alma Farrell Innovation Academy construction:
  • $24.5M state allocated funding
  • $9.5M district supplemental bond funding required to meet actual construction costs (approximately 38% above the state formula)
• Received approximately $9M in Building Renewal Grants over the past five years

Why Funding Matters

State facilities funding has not kept pace with real-world costs:

• 3 schools currently need roof replacements
• 6 schools need weatherization upgrades
• MUSD has seen a sharp decline in approval of Building Renewal projects
• Without reliable funding, districts must:
  • Delay critical maintenance
  • Shift funds away from classrooms

Sustainable, predictable facilities funding is essential to protect taxpayer investments and ensure safe learning environments.

What the proposal does

Would require school districts to spend at least 60% of operational funding on teacher salaries.

Why education leaders have concerns

• Arizona school districts already spend less on administration than the national average
• Some important student services may not count toward the required spending categories

Why it matters

Without additional funding, districts may need to shift resources away from other student services to meet the required percentage.

What the proposal does

Would require districts to meet the following spending thresholds:

• 60% on instructional expenses
• 50% on teacher salaries

Why it matters

Education leaders note that certain support roles, such as counselors, librarians, special education staff, and instructional coaches, may not count toward these categories.

What the proposal does

Moves the testing window for statewide assessments for grades 3–8 to the final 30 days of the school year.

Why supporters support the change

• Allows teachers to complete more instruction before testing
• May provide a more accurate reflection of student learning

What the proposal does

Addresses districts that fall out of compliance with state financial reporting requirements.

Possible consequences if issues are not corrected:

• The state may withhold funding
• Administrators may need to attend additional financial training
• Districts could be restricted from placing bonds or overrides on the ballot

Why it matters

Education leaders are working with lawmakers to ensure the proposal does not unintentionally create additional challenges for small or rural districts.

What the proposal does

Allows schools to share limited student directory information, such as contact details, with:

• Parents of enrolled students
• Nonprofit organizations that support the school

Parent choice

Parents may opt out of sharing this information.

What the proposal does

Automatically enrolls middle school students in advanced math courses if they meet certain academic benchmarks, unless a parent chooses to opt out.

Students could qualify by:

• Scoring highly on statewide assessments
• Earning an “A” in their math class
• Requesting enrollment

Additional requirements
The bill also includes reporting requirements for schools related to advanced math placement.