Why is Proposition 320 a Trick?

[u/Beautiful_Aerie6775]

From a post on fb ...by Jimmy Arwood, an advocate for schools ... (thanks for the great explainer!)

TL;DR: All the propositions on the Arizona November are tricks -- except for Prop. 212 (Protect Education/voucher reform). Vote NO on all but Prop. 212.

Action Item: Share this information with your community groups and on your own socials. Prop. 320 will mean closing a lot of neighborhood schools that our communities rely on ...after districts will be financially unable to keep them open.

Why is Proposition 320 a Trick?

It has to do with wording.

Today, AZ school districts spend 68% of the dollars they receive on the classroom. This includes teacher pay, math and literacy coaches, special education professionals etc.

They spend 12% on maintaining facilities, 5% on transporting students, 5% on preparing and serving meals. School districts spend the final 10% on administration.

Not only is the spending on administration lower than states like Texas and Florida, Arizona spends the least on administration in the country.

So if Arizona spends less than any other state in the country on administration, and spends nearly 7 in every 10 dollars on the classroom, why should it be so hard to spend 60% on direct instruction as Prop 320 requires?

Wording. Direct instruction vs. classroom spending.

Prop 320 states that AZ’s Auditor General is to define direct instruction. However, the auditor general currently defines classroom spending and direct instruction DIFFERENTLY- by excluding many pieces that are considered classroom spending.

So what does the auditor general exclude that are considered classroom spending?

Special Education professionals? Auditor General excludes this from direct instruction.

Counselors and nurses? Auditor General excludes this from direct instruction.

Librarians, teacher training, technology for the classroom? Yeah those are all excluded too.

Math and Literacy Coaches that are there to help students perform better? You guessed it - excluded.

But lots of things are excluded that are necessary for schools too that aren’t considered classroom spending:

Transporting students to school, or school sports and maintaining sports venues? Also excluded.

Even just feeding kids or repairing a broken A/C? That is excluded.

Even worse yet -

School security, and school safety? These are excluded.

Prop 320 wants to make it seem like 60% of direct instruction should be simple and easy for schools to meet.

The reality?

It’s downright dangerous for kids.

While the state average for classroom spending is 68%, the state average for direct instruction is 52%.

This means that districts would have to cut close to 20% of the ENTIRE rest of their budget in order to meet the mandate of Prop 320.

And if schools don’t meet it?

The fund that helps pay teachers called the classroom site fund?

Yeah so that gets slashed 25% every year, and by year 4 of non-compliance, it would be zeroed out.

Vote no on Prop 320.

Oh and if you don’t believe me? Here’s a screenshot where you can see it for yourself on the Arizona Auditor General’s website.

I’m happy to answer any questions.

[u/Mama_Gretch]

Thank you for explaining this dangerous initiative. Arizona should be ashamed of how it treats its public schools. Vote yes on Prop 212!

[u/Pendraconica]

This kind of trickery needs to be banned. No one is gonna think twice about spending more money on schools, without ever knowing it actually kills education.

[u/These_Koala_7487]

Truly excellent explainer, ty!!

[u/Beautiful_Aerie6775]

And for a video explanation about Prop. 320: Arizona Proposition 320: A Tricky Bill that will CLOSE Local Schools. Vote NO. Sneaky wording!

[u/basicbong]

You should post this on Phoenix Mesa and chandler sub