Frequently Asked Questions About Elections

Home builders and realtors told us that a school will be built in our neighborhood. Why hasn’t that happened?

Home builders and realtors may know that we own certain properties, however that does not mean a school will necessarily be built on that site. While Dysart may own land in various locations, we work closely with our planning department and demographers to evaluate population projections, which allows us to plan for future needs at various sites. Home builders often donate elementary school land to school districts when developing a community, however, they are not responsible for constructing the school itself.  In fact, Arizona law does not allow school districts to require developers to fund school construction.  Therefore, even though we have land, funding is still needed to construct a new school - usually through state support or voter-approved bonds -  and the location would be dependent on population projections and growth patterns to ensure the location made the greatest impact.

How will Asante families be impacted if funding for another school isn’t approved?

Growth in the Asante area is rapid, and the current school has limited capacity. We already adjusted the grade levels (in 2024-2025) to serve Pre-k through fifth grade only and started busing 6-8th grade students to another school with capacity outside of the neighborhood. Without another campus in the area, we would have to cut additional grade levels, adjust boundaries, and bus even more students to other schools until a new school can be built. We have land in the area already, but still need the funds to construct a school.

Why can’t you just move money from one area to another to cover what you need?

School districts receive various funds from both state and federal sources. Each of these funds has specific legal restrictions on what they can and cannot cover, and do not allow for uses outside of those rules. For example, some funds can only be used for capital item purchases - such as buildings, buses, technology and equipment - while others can only be used for staff salaries and benefits or program costs. A video that helps explain this in greater details is available here.

What is a Maintenance and Operations override?

The Maintenance and Operations (M&O) override allows voters to approve additional funding for basic operational expenses (i.e., teacher and staff salaries, coaches, supplies, etc.) not adequately funded by state allocations. In Dysart, a maintenance and operation override has been in place since 2000. 

What do current override funds cover?

• Retain highly qualified teachers and staff through competitive wages 
• Academic supports (K-3 Reading Interventionists, Teaching Learning Specialists) 
• Maintain manageable class sizes (Class size average is currently 28:1) 
• Full-day kindergarten 
• Programs for Reading, Arts, PE and Athletics

What will happen if the override continuation does not pass?

The district will be required to cut ⅓ of the current override (~$9 million) in July 2026, and again for the next two years if it is not approved. Programs would be cut, class sizes enlarged, etc. 

What is a bond?

Bonds are similar to loans that are authorized by voters and funded through property taxes.  They are used to purchase capital items and/or make capital improvements, such as buildings, furniture, equipment, technology, textbooks, and buses.  The funding can only be used to fund projects that have a useful life longer than five years.  Bond funding can NOT be used for day-to-day operating expenses like salaries, utilities, and supplies.  Bonds are repaid over a set period of time, similar to a mortgage.

How did you determine an election was needed?

The Election Committee was initially formed in 2023 to review the district’s needs. The committee consisted of 30 members who represented all schools, along with general community members. They held regular meetings that were open to the public and live streamed for the community, with agendas and meeting videos viewable at the link below. The Governing Board voted to place items on the ballot after a unanimous community committee recommendation was presented to them.

What is Dysart’s record for fiscal responsibility and transparency?

• Dysart has earned the ASBO Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for 29 years. 
• 8.5% per pupil administration costs are lower than the state average (10.3%). 
• Budget information is always available on our website at Dysart.org/budget.

Will any of these funds go to increase teacher’s compensation so that good teachers are maintained?

Yes, a successful override continuation would maintain Dysart’s competitive teacher salary. It would not increase compensation.

How many teaching positions were lost in 2015 after the override last failed back in 2014?

Approximately 150 teacher positions were cut.  Because the override was passed the next year in 2015, those positions were able to be brought back.

Approximately how many teaching positions are directly funded by the override currently?

Currently there are ~260 positions funded by the current override.

Why are class sizes not reduced each time the override is approved?

The first year the override was approved class sizes were reduced. Since the override is a continuation of that funding, class sizes are maintained each time an override is approved. If not approved, class sizes would increase.

Why do schools need to offer athletics and arts?

It is very important to provide students with various connections to our schools. Athletics and arts help provide those opportunities for our students to connect to the school.  Students that participate in these types of programs have higher GPAs, higher graduation rates and receive athletic college scholarships. Every community expects their local school to provide students with a comprehensive school experience that includes Arts and Athletics. While these opportunities are not required, if not offered at a high level, families will seek schools that do provide them. Quality schools are a high priority for home buyers. Low quality schools result in lower home values, lower community quality, and a poor local economy. Great schools support great communities.

How long does it take to rebuild programs once they are cancelled or reduced?

It can take many years to restore programs.  One high school band program was cancelled in 1997 due to budget cuts. That band wasn’t restarted until 2018.  Athletics and the arts programs are very important for a well-rounded education and provide students with extraordinary learning experiences.

Why should all residents care about school funding, even if they don’t have school-aged children?

• Highly rated schools maintain property values and foster a sense of community pride 
• Good schools attract jobs and economic opportunities 
• Dysart provides employment for nearly 3,000 community members, and is the largest local employer 
• Schools play a key role in training the future workforce 
• Our local youth learn essential subjects needed to be prepared for the future 
• Career & Technical Education Programs provide our cities with EMTs, Police, and Firefighters 
• Dysart Schools prides itself on giving back to the community we serve through education, economic impact, and development of our youth. 
• Students of all ages give back to the community by volunteering 
• Unique programs, including JROTC, build strong, service-minded young adults

How will taxes be impacted if the ballot measures pass?

There will be no tax increase. Property owners in Dysart are currently paying annual property taxes to support school improvement bonds previously approved by the voters in 2006 and a maintenance and operations override previously approved by the voters in 2020. If the 2025 Override Continuation & Bond pass, homeowners would simply continue to support student needs. In fact, after the 2006 bond is phased out (in 2029), it is estimated that the community would actually see a decrease in their tax rate of over half. The decrease will occur because the new bonds issued are for less than in 2006 and the population has increased dramatically since then, resulting in an increased number of taxable properties.

Why don’t charter schools have to go out for elections for extra funding?

Charter schools do not have the ability to raise money through local property taxes, so they cannot hold bond or override elections. Instead, they receive additional state funding called Charter Additional Assistance (CAA) to assist in supplementing expenses such as buildings, equipment, technology, and other needs. However, school districts must ask their local voters to approve bonds or overrides in order to receive this extra local funding beyond what the state provides.

Why do you keep asking voters for approval of override funds?

Overrides are approved for a period of seven years, but start phasing out in year five unless a continuation is approved by voters.

How can I access Dysart budget information?

Dysart Schools lists detailed information on budgets and annual financial reports at Dysart.org/Budget.

How does full-day Kindergarten impact early learning?

All day Kindergarten provides a great foundation for social skills, instills the love of learning, sets students up for a positive academic experience. Research shows that students who receive full day Kinder are better prepared socially and academically for  first and second grade compared to students who only had a half-day.

Is there a difference in achievement when comparing the students who have had full-day Kindergarten versus those who attended half-day?

Yes, achievement was tracked and half-day kindergarten students lag behind their full-day peers in academic achievement in first grade.

When did the state stop funding all-day Kindergarten?

2009 was the last year full-day kindergarten was funded by the state.

How many students have benefited from the all-day Kindergarten over the last 25 years the override has been in existence?

Approximately 37,000 benefitted from all day Kindergarten over the past twenty-five years.

How many students will miss out on all-day Kindergarten if the override isn't renewed?

About 1,400 children in our community will not have full day kindergarten each year.

How do districts obtain land for school locations?

Often developers or home builders will set aside and donate enough land (15-20 acres) to build an elementary school when they are building a new community. However, it is rare for anyone to donate enough land to build a high school (50-60 acres). If land is not donated, then a district would have to pursue other means by which to obtain land, which could include land swap and joint use agreements with local cities, or a land purchase using Capital funding, often through voter-approved bonds. It is important to note that current state law makes it illegal for anyone to require a developer/builder to donate land, or fund a school.

How does a district obtain Capital funding?

District’s receive a very limited amount of Capital funds each year (~$13 million for Dysart), and it is needed for many things like building maintenance, equipment replacement, etc. It is not enough to pay for new school construction, so when a district has a need for funding that is greater than what is available, they must either work with the Arizona School Facilities Division (SFD) to request a portion of their limited budget provided by the state, or go to the voters through a Bond election to request additional funding. Currently, an elementary school typically costs about $35 million to build, and a high school costs about $150 million to build.

Dysart has worked with the Arizona School Facilities Division closely, and was approved for various facility maintenance and mechanical repairs and replacement projects totaling $27.9 million over the past two years. However, due to the size and design capacity of all 26 schools within the district, Dysart does not currently qualify for Arizona School Facilities Division (SFD) funds to pay for the construction of schools. SFD’s process does not take into account the varied population density across the district’s 140 square miles or new home building projects that would impact capacity, nor does it matter if the location for available space requires students to be bussed to campuses far away from a community. Additionally, even if approved for SFD funding for new school construction, SFD bases the amount off of a formula, but it does not cover 100% of the cost.

If the district goes to voters to request bond funds, and voters approve the request, then the district receives that funding over the designated period through property taxes paid by residents. If voters reject the request, additional funding is not available.

What is the history of bond elections in Dysart?

The last voter-approved bond that was passed in Dysart was in 2006. It was approved for up to $190 million, however, the district only ended up selling bonds for $122 million. Over the length of the bond, Dysart monitored and refinanced several times to maximize a cost savings for taxpayers of over $20 million in interest. The 2006 bond is set to fully phase out by the end of 2028.

Voters rejected bonds for Dysart in 2019 and again in 2024, both of which would have included funds to purchase high school land, and build an elementary school. Additionally, Dysart had to adjust boundaries for the 2024-2025 school year in order to accommodate growth in the Northwest Asante area, which included the need to bus all 5-8th grade students to another school with capacity outside of the neighborhood.

How are boundary changes and new school site decisions made?

While Dysart may own land in various locations within district boundaries, they work closely with their planning department and demographers to evaluate population projections. This allows them to plan better for future needs, so that they know which areas within the district are expected to see growth or decline, and in turn, where it would make the most sense to build a new school, or change boundaries in order to better balance the expected enrollment numbers based on population density.

Isn’t funding for school construction available from the Arizona School Facilities Board?

While the Arizona School Facilities Division has a legal obligation to pay for the construction of schools, the requirements are very strict. SFD funding is subject to legislative appropriations, and requires a school district, with all schools combined, to exceed the design capacity district-wide by 20% within 3-years of the current year, for the entire elementary or high school grade range. It does not take into account the varied population density across the district or new home building projects that would impact capacity.

How long does it take to build a new school?

Typically it will take approximately two years to complete a new school. This includes the design phase and construction, which are all dependent on availability of building materials, permit timelines, weather conditions, and other factors.