More than two dozen Maricopa County school districts voted in favor of ballot measures last November, and while a majority passed, a handful are currently failing.

Election officials continue to count votes, but some precincts believe their results are final based on margins.

In the Deer Valley Unified School District, Superintendent Dr. Curtis Finch said the district’s bonding and waiver measures have failed. As of Thursday afternoon, about 54% of voters for each requirement and waiver said no.

A bond typically helps finance new school buildings or physical improvements such as security measures.

Finch said part of the bond is going to fund new schools in the future as the district is growing exponentially with the TSMC factory in the neighborhood.

A waiver is typically for staff salaries and program offerings such as art and physical education.

With the district’s waiver currently failing, that means it must begin phasing out $11 million each year over the next three school years, for a total of $33 million. That means in the upcoming new school year, the district and school board will have to find ways to start operating without that money.

“It’s impossible not to cut $33 million and have an impact on people. If you do it over time and through attrition, you’re not going to have a direct impact on people,” Finch said.

This election, more than two dozen Maricopa County school districts requested additional funding. Of these, nine did not currently pass the threshold on Thursday afternoon. Some districts, like the Agua Fria Union High School District, are seeing a small margin.

For the Buckeye Union High School District, its bond failed.

“I think the biggest consequence we will have is having overcrowded schools and having to increase class sizes to survive until we can build and open our next high school,” said Superintendent Dr. Steve Bebee.

In the past, some voters have told ABC15 they reject these school funding measures in part because they don’t want a tax increase or because their students don’t attend their area’s district.

By many estimates, Arizona consistently ranks at the bottom in school funding, having to rely on community choices in these elections whether or not to provide more funding to their schools.

Finch said he and his team will meet early in the new year to begin determining what to do in terms of restructuring to help with the reduced budget. The district’s board of trustees will ultimately have to decide what will be changed.

“If this is the new normal, this concept of pushing the rock up the hill yourself, then we need to adjust accordingly. If we don’t do that, we’re going to be in trouble over time,” Finch said.

Higley Unified is almost in the same boat as Deer Valley. The district requested a bond and waiver, which is currently failing as of Thursday afternoon. If the waiver ultimately doesn’t pass, Higley Unified will have to start cutting $13 million for the next school year.

Several West Valley districts are currently seeing bond measures fail, providing statements to ABC15:

Unified Dysart:

“The Dysart Unified School District is extremely fortunate to have dedicated parents, staff and community members who have worked hard to educate the community about the needs of our schools. Unfortunately, the current vote count shows that Dysart’s bond measure is not on track to be implemented. approved by voters.

Bond financing would have helped ensure the safety and security of our schools and allowed for much-needed facility renovations. We will continue to maintain our bus fleet, but will not be able to replace all of our older vehicles at this time. Furthermore, despite the hyper-growth in the North West Asante region, we have to delay the construction of a new primary school and we will not yet be able to purchase land for a secondary school.

Dysart will continue its commitment to seeking additional sources of funding to cover our capital needs and will work hard to seek financial support wherever possible. In the meantime, the plans we had for bond funds are on hold until a funding source is found.

We thank our community for their continued support and understanding as we continue the important work of educating our students.

Peoria Unified’s superintendent sent a message to the community:

“In my short time in our district, it didn’t take me long to see and hear the passion that so many of you have for our community. It’s hard to describe, but as a newcomer to town, it’s something I felt as soon as I arrived here. I’ve seen this passion manifest over the past few months as many people have worked hard to share facts and campaign in their free time for our bond election. I would like to thank each of them for their support.

It can be discouraging to find that our bond falls short by about 6,000 votes, which is similar to other unified school districts of our size. There are still over a million ballots to be counted in Maricopa County, and I remain cautiously optimistic. We expect another update with the vote count later this evening. At that time, I will be able to better update you on our connection and how candidates are presenting for the three open seats on our board.

Until then, remember that this district is defined by more than one election. We are an “A” rated school district. We outperform the state in graduation rates and state testing. We are national leaders in arts education, we crush the competition in CTE, win robotics and MESA championships, and our athletic programs are second to none. The opportunities we provide meet the needs of every child and the dedication of our employees is what drives so many families to our schools and is what led me to choose this place along with nearly 4,000 of you .

We can choose to dwell on our current situation, or we can choose to reaffirm our commitment to our students, who showed up today ready to learn, regardless of what happened in last night’s election. Part of our responsibility as educators is to own our part of the narrative around public education. People won’t change the way they do things talk about us until we change the way we live talk about us.

As we wait for the official results of this election, join me in choosing to continue doing good work and telling everyone around you the uplifting stories from our schools and classrooms. I am committed to telling our story and will not stop working to build your trust and demonstrate how valuable community support is to our schools, staff and students.

I look forward to providing you with another update soon. Thank you for your support of our more than 35,000 students.

Saddle Mountain Unified:

“The good news is we don’t have to cut anything this year. However, we are not able to increase salaries as we would like to help us retain and attract excellent employees.

The bad news is that we will have to go to voters again next year. If we fail next year, we will have to reduce our budget by $2.5 million. This would be devastating for our district. The cuts would likely include full-day kindergarten, sports, office staff and teachers, resulting in a much larger class size.

Chandler Unified Superintendent’s Message to His Community:

“As you may know, unofficial election results indicate that the 2024 bond was not approved. This is the case for several other public school districts in Maricopa County. While this outcome impacts our immediate plans, it does not change our commitment to providing the highest quality education to our students. We remain committed to moving forward by doing what is best for children while keeping financial responsibility at the center of decision-making and maximizing resources wherever possible for the benefit of all.

Despite this outcome, CUSD will continue to be fiscally responsible by ensuring that necessary maintenance and updates are planned thoughtfully and strategically. We are committed to prioritizing essential projects so that our schools and facilities remain conducive to fostering learning and teaching environments where all students and staff thrive.

The national school rankings website, Niche.com, has once again named CUSD the best public school district in Arizona. Our students continue to excel, outperforming their peers on state and national assessments and earning millions in scholarships and awards each year. Additionally, Forbes recognizes CUSD as one of Arizona’s Best Places to Work, highlighting the dedication, expertise and passion of our talented teachers and staff.

Community support through ballot initiatives is vital and this process has been no small feat, especially as the state of Arizona continues to rank near the bottom in funding for public education. To everyone involved in this effort, thank you. Your commitment has not gone unnoticed. Your dedication to CUSD and our students shows the strength and power of working together. CUSD remains one of the best public school districts in Arizona and the nation because of your continued support.