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.