2024 Override Renewal Election

• District average class sizes will increase by one student per class each year over the next three years.
• Fine arts opportunities for students will be limited. Program sizes will be reduced and will be able to support fewer students.
• The JROTC program will be removed.
• School campuses will lose year-round security.
• CTE program opportunities for students will be reduced.
• Competitive salaries and benefits will be limited. The district needs these to attract and retain exceptional personnel.
  • Salaries are a large proportion of the M&O override as teachers and support staff are necessary to reduce class sizes and provide a variety of classes and extracurriculars like career & technical education, fine arts, and athletic programs.

Override: An override is a voter-approved measure that allows a school district to receive additional funding beyond what the state provides. When approved, the override remains fully funded for five years and is in effect for seven years.

Bonds: On the other hand, bonds are used for long-term capital projects like building new schools, renovating existing facilities, or purchasing large equipment. Bonds are typically repaid over a longer period, and the funds cannot be used for operational costs. QCUSD does not have a bond initiative on the ballot this year.

Funding for new construction projects comes from the state through the Schools Facilities Division (SFD). The SFD is a state of Arizona organization created to help growing communities get the classroom space they need. To receive this funding, each school district must apply for the additional space, then the division analyzes the request to see if the space is needed. This allocation comes two years before the additional square footage is needed, so once funding is distributed, the district has two years to complete construction. 

To receive funding, school districts must submit a capital plan, or formal request, to the SFD. The request requires a statistical analysis of the projected growth over the next five years and the predicted number of students in the area the school will serve. Every December, the SFD reviews each formal request to determine if the applying district qualifies for the funding. QCUSD applies every year based on our continued growth.

This override renewal is a continuation of the secondary property tax. The override, first approved by voters in 2015, is up for renewal to continue funding, not an increase.

Override Tax Estimator

**The purpose of the tax estimator is to help you understand the portion of your property tax that is allocated to the current override, which has been in place since 2015. This property tax estimator is a companion to the data presented in the voter pamphlet, not a replacement for the detailed information contained therein. For QCUSD, this is not a new tax but helps determine the amount the override is within the tax bill.

In Arizona, public school districts are allowed to request additional funds to be added to the maintenance and operations budget to fund initiatives and priorities that the community finds important to have in classrooms. The override has been in place since 2015 and has supported many student programs and competitive salaries throughout that time. If the override does not pass, this funding will be removed from the budget, many student programs will be removed, and QCUSD will fall behind in competitive salaries for staff.

QCUSD has a long history of fiscal responsibility and dedication to the taxpayers and community we serve. Not only does the override come with state-regulated requirements and third-party audits for spending, the district has spent previous override money on exactly what voters approved, which includes maintaining academic programs, maintaining art and music programs, maintaining reduced class sizes, maintaining school security, and maintaining competitive salaries for staff. The district is required to present how these funds are utilized every year in October during a governing board meeting. If approved, the district will reprioritize the funds to meet current community initiatives for students. This includes adding an instructional assistant for all grades K-3 classrooms, targeted intervention programs while maintaining fine arts and music programs, reduced class sizes, school security personnel, and competitive salaries for staff.

 QCUSD budget documents and financial reports are available for the public on our Business Services page.

The override renewal would enable the district to continue its commitment to low class sizes and compensate teachers at a competitive rate with the goal of retaining and attracting the best employees. If the override that has been in place since 2015 is removed, the district will see a significant decrease in the annual budget and will need to eliminate some student programming that the override funds. The decrease will be approximately five million dollars per year for three years for a total of approximately fifteen million dollars.

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, public school district funding has a direct monetary impact on property values. For every dollar that is spent on public schools, there is a $20 impact on surrounding property values. Proximity and quality of schools is one of the biggest deciding factors for home buyer selection according to research from the National Association of Realtors. The population growth in Queen Creek and East Mesa in conjunction with QCUSD’s high-ranking schools is indicative of this correlation.