Citizens for A Quality Education

We need community members who are willing to help pass the M & O Override election. Here are some ways to become involved:

• Help place election signs
• Make phone calls
• Place mailing labels on postcards
• TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS
• VOTE YES on November 3, 2009

To receive e-mail updates, meeting dates and information from Citizens for Quality Education, click on the link below.

 https://app.expressemailmarketing.com/Survey.aspx?SFID=61766

Recent articles published in our local newspapers regarding state budget shortfalls and the impact it is having on our schools causes us great concern. Despite the fact that Arizona’s per pupil funding for education is at the bottom of states, our schools have been called upon to make severe cuts to already inadequate school budgets. Our districts are facing another severe funding crisis if present overrides are not renewed. Below you will find complete and factual information:

Read more…

In February 1990, the Glendale Union High School District overwhelmingly passed its first override. Since that time the district has, as required by law, successfully renewed its override every 5 years. Override funds are used to supplement the state funding formula and have been used in Glendale Union High School District to provide lower class size, increased academic offerings, greater student support services, increased local school support staffing, as well as increased athletic and extra curricular programs.

The need for override funding stems from a lack of adequate state resources as evidenced by research on the states per pupil funding and the overwhelming number of Arizona districts operating under override programs. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Arizona ranks 49th in per pupil funding among the states. This lack of commitment on the part of our legislative body has forced Arizona schools to depend on the use of overrides to supplement state funding and offer competitive programs. Approximately 80% of all Arizona school districts and virtually every major district in the state are operating on existing overrides.

MAJOR OVERRIDE DISTRICTS:
-Tempe Union
-Phoenix Union
-Mesa Unified
-Scottsdale Unified
-Peoria Unified
-Deer Valley Unified
-Washington Elementary
-Glendale Elementary
-Paradise Valley Unified

In conclusion, we don’t have a spending problem, we have a revenue problem!
-Arizona spends at the bottom on per public funding
-Our students deserve a comprehensive education program
-Our quality neighborhood high schools increase our property values
-Finally, maintaining our safe schools is critical to maintaining our safe neighborhoods

The Citizens Blue Ribbon committee has been meeting since February. Representatives from all schools have learned more about the components associated with our Maintenance and Operations (M&O) budget and the functions of an override. This committee was asked by the Governing Board to bring back a recommendation regarding whether or not to call for an election to continue override funding. The committee met last night and voted unanimously to recommend that an M&O override election be called for in November. At the May 6th Governing Board meeting the co-chairs for the Citizens Blue Ribbon committee will be presenting their recommendation to the Governing Board. The Board will then vote on the recommendation at the May 20th meeting.

In the last four years, district revenues have increased due to student growth and state base support level increases designed to provide for inflation and retirement increases. The state’s share of district revenues has increased due to student growth, inflationary funding, shifting of property tax responsibilities from business to the state, and legislative suspension of county equalization taxes. District expenditures have correspondingly increased, primarily due to inflationary increases in utility rates, retirement contribution rates, health care costs, special education, and transportation costs.

The district believes that the sound fiscal management demonstrated combined with the outstanding instructional and support staff contributes directly to the district’s 7 excelling and 2 highly performing schools. We believe that the 2008-2009 budget reductions will be managed with travel reductions, capital and hiring freezes, foregoing current capital needs, reduced professional development, and expenditure of carryover funds. Proposed 2009-2010 reductions will more substantially impact district operations and staffing.
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Saturday, March 7, 2009

8:00 a.m.

Sundance Golf Course
Buckeye, AZ

$100 per person
Includes: 18 holes of golf
Cart
Range Balls
Lunch

For more information, contact Don DeBusk at 602-418-3250 or mail payment to
Citizens for Quality Education
4837 W. Bryce
Glendale, AZ 85301

On December 3, 2008, the GUHSD Governing Board authorized the superintendent, Dr. Jennifer Johnson, to form a Blue Ribbon Citizens’ Committee to present recommendations to the Governing Board on whether to call for an Maintenance and Operations Override renewal election and to recommend budget reductions should an election not be called for or if the election should fail. Because of the support from the GUHSD community, the district has been involved in an M & O override since 1990.

The committee, which was charged with 1) Consideration to call for an election and 2) Considerations for $7.2 million dollars in budget reductions if the override funding is not available next year. The committee unamiously voted to call for the election on November 4, 2009.

Public presentations are being planned to provide information and to gather input from our community. The format calls for the communities of three schools to gather at one location. Attendance and involvement in this decision making process is important to the students of GUHSD.

Monday, March 9 - Apollo, Glendale and Independence at Apollo High School, 8045 N. 47th Ave. (Auditorium)

Tuesday, March 10 - Cortez, Greenway and Moon Valley at Moon Valley High School, 3625 W. Cactus (Auditorium)

Wednesday, March 11 - Sunnyslope, Thunderbird and Washington at Sunnyslope High School, 35 W Dunlap (Auditorium)

All meetings begin at 6:30 pm.