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Mesa voters provide stability
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Change is coming to the Mesa Unified School District. But Mesa voters decided Tuesday they want a thoughtful, strategic approach to realigning the district instead of a panicked rush to reduce spending.
A strong majority voted to keep a 14-year-old budget override, which allows the school district to spend 10 percent beyond state-imposed budget limits. This outcome was anything but a foregone conclusion, as nearly half of the ballot measures for various school districts across the Valley failed Tuesday including budget override proposals in the Higley and Apache Junction unified school districts.
Mesa voters looked past our current economic malaise and pledged to do their part to maintain a predictable level of revenues for their school district as the elected board and administration determine how to adapt to the loss of tax dollars elsewhere.
Despite Tuesday's vote, the district needs to adapt with deliberate speed. After shrinking the budget by $60 million over the past two years, Mesa Public Schools can expect to make more spending cuts after the Legislature meets in special session later this month to again address the state's fiscal crisis. Capitol Media Services reported Wednesday that key lawmakers are predicting they will reduce K-12 education spending statewide by $144 million.
Beyond the immediate challenges, the Mesa school district is seeing its first significant decline in student enrollment in decades. Superintendent Mike Cowan is leading a campaign to reshape district's operations to permanently lower or hold down costs. Far-reaching ideas are being explored such as changing which grades are assigned to elementary, junior high and high schools, adjusting attendance boundaries and possibly closing one or more schools.
Cowan and the board must be courageous as they examine which routes will keep the district fiscally sound while promoting quality education. Just a rumor Wednesday of a possible school closure prompted immediate objections, and the political pressure will keep growing as the district takes concrete steps to change.
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