Higley Schools Blog

This is a hugely important issue so be sure you pass it on to everyone in your neighborhood as well. This November there will be a chance to vote to extend the budget override Higley schools benefit from for another seven years. It is vitally important to the health and future of Higley Unified that this override extension passes. Here is what the benefits will be:

1. The district will get significantly more state money to pay for two things — Teacher’s salaries and school maintenance.
2. Currently about 76% of override money goes to help hire and pay teachers so if this override fails we will have less to pay current teachers in HUSD and less to hire new teachers
3. The rest of the override goes to maintenance costs like sports gear, musical equipment, etc. Without the override those programs will suffer as well.

In other words, the override money gives HUSD a fighting chance to stay competitive with other districts in salaries and that helps with retention and recruiting.

Here are some important facts about the override:

- It is not a new tax or new expense to residents at all. It is simply an extension of the existing override.
- Because the override allows for 10% above the district budget to be used for salaries and maintenance the bigger the district gets the more of a difference it makes.

Here is a brief description of the override that the AZ Republic published:

Budget override

• Allows a district to spend slightly more than its state-approved budget. The amount of an override is capped through a state formula, the revenue control limit.

Increases funds for certain spending categories. For example, Higley’s override would support maintenance and operations, which mostly covers teacher salaries and classroom costs.

Sources: Arizona Association of School Business Officials, Higley Unified School District

It will likely be near the end of your ballot so after you vote for the president be sure you vote yes on the Higley override as well. (And cast a vote for Geoff Johnston for the Higley Schools Governing Board while you are at it…)