By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A ballot measure headed to Arizona voters in November would require school districts to spend more money on teacher salaries.
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A yes vote on means larger Arizona school districts would be required to spend 60% of their budget on “direct instructional expenses.”
Supporters say this could help improve teacher pay. Critics argue it would come at a cost that could negatively impact students and support staff.
“The more resources that go into the classroom to pay those teachers, the better off we’re going to be,” said Chris Thomas, education policy legal strategy director for the Goldwater Institute.
Districts that don’t meet the 60% threshold would have to increase that spending by 0.5% every year until they reach it, or lose money from the Arizona Classroom Site Fund.
“There is no definition in the proposition,” said Jimmy Arwood, director of government relations for the Arizona School Boards Association.
Arwood said the language in the proposition is vague. The state’s auditor general would define what falls into direct instructional spending and what doesn’t.
Thomas said that besides putting the focus on teacher pay rather than administrative pay, the measure could also apply to spending on things like field trips, supplies and extracurriculars.
“Back in 2001, when the state’s Auditor General started tracking how much money was going into the classroom, it was about 57% was going in the classroom. Now it’s 52%,” Thomas said.
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Arwood called Proposition 320 a one-size-fits-all approach that would force districts to make tough decisions.
“Phoenix Union has showed themselves, they could cut their entire transportation budget. They could cut their entire food service budget. And that doesn’t even get them close to coming into (the 60%) compliance,” Arwood said. “Take a look at Mesa Unified. They have 21% more special needs students than the rest of the state. They spend 20% more on student support, which is not part of direct instruction.”
Stephen Dieu, president of the Arizona School Resource Officers Association, said he is also concerned about the impact of Prop. 320.
“We are supportive of additional funds being spent in the classroom, but not at the expense of restricting or eliminating positions or programs that might be a key intervention for a school community,” Dieu said.
“I understand that because those are important things. But at the same time, we all have to understand that the main priority has to be what happens in the classroom,” Thomas said.
If passed, Prop. 320 would apply to districts with more than 7,500 students or to districts in counties with more than half a million people. That means all districts in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties.
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