A bill designed to phase out desegregation funding, costing the Tucson Unified School District millions of dollars, has made it past its first hurdle to becoming Arizona law.
The billβs sponsor, Sen. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, however, has agreed to consider amending the legislation to provide an exception for districts like TUSD that remain under federal court order and have obligations they are required to meet.
The possible concession came despite some lawmakers voicing disagreement with the court order itself, saying it doesnβt have much in common with reality.
Speakers who voiced concern about the bill to the Senate Finance Committee, citing improved academic outcomes as a result of the funding, were questioned about exactly how the money specifically targets segregation issues, even though the federal court has specified improving academic outcomes is part of what the districts must do to eliminate vestiges of discrimination.
Lesko, along with fellow Republicans Kimberly Yee, Phoenix, and Steve Yarbrough, Chandler, approved moving the bill forward to the rules committee while Democrats Steve Farley, Tucson, and Lynne Pancrazi, Yuma, voted no.
The vote followed a plea from Tucson Unified School District Superintendent H.T. Sanchez to sustain the funds as an investment in a better future for students who benefit from the programs in place.
Sanchez told the committee how the desegregation money is allocated and the efforts to account for every dollar spent.
He also shared a letter from the special master β a desegregation expert appointed by the court to oversee TUSDβs efforts β which bluntly said if TUSD does not have access to the funds it would not be possible for the district to meet the obligations prescribed by the court.
The special master, Willis Hawley, added that it would reduce opportunities for students to attend an integrated school and undermine other initiatives in place designed to bring racial balance to Tucsonβs largest school district.
Nonetheless, both Lesko and Yarbrough argued that allowing some districts to spend beyond their budget creates an unfair advantage and goes against the framework for Arizonaβs school-finance system, which requires funding that is general and uniform.
TUSD receives nearly $64 million in desegregation funds annually, money Lesko has said allows TUSD and other districts previously operating under a court order or office of civil rights agreement to spend more per pupil, have lower class sizes and pay teachers better than neighboring districts without that advantage.
Lesko had an ally in TUSD Governing Board Member Michael Hicks, who submitted written testimony urging approval of the bill, saying he believes the desegregation money has resulted in the district not actively securing unitary status.
Lesko added the state has kicked in millions to help cover the desegregation and office of civil rights costs, money she said should have been distributed across all school districts equally.
βThis is a fairness issue and I believe it needs to be resolved,β she said.
Working on the same logic of fairness, Farley went to bat for TUSD, calling the bill βblatantly not fair.β
βIf we want to help them, letβs help fight the court order, but donβt take their legs in the meantime,β Farley said. βIt doesnβt help kids, it doesnβt help teachers, it doesnβt help parents, it doesnβt help the economy.β
Farley went on to say that he hopes to see an amendment to deal with what he also classifies as a fairness issue.
