Chandler district preps for legal battle with tech-ed school
Courtesy of Chandler USD
Students in Chandler Unified’s Early Childhood CTE program, left, help host an April event. The Chandler Unified Governing Board approved two legal steps at its Sept. 10 meeting in its effort to prevent funding cuts to programs by the East Valley Institute of Technology.
The Chandler Unified School District has become one of eight East Valley school districts in Maricopa and Pinal counties to take legal steps to stop what some CUSD staff states are proposed East Valley Institute of Technology reductions.
The CUSD Governing Board, at its Sept. 10 meeting, voted 5-0 to hire the law firm of Osborn Maledon P.A. as special counsel to the district for the “EVIT Satellite IGA.” In a separate action, the board voted, 4-1, to “authorize legal action if needed regarding CTED funding statute and related EVIT IGA matters.”
Board member Kurt Rohrs voted against the legal-action motion.
“I’m opposed to authorizing legal action at this time,” Rohrs said. “This could get dragged out a lot longer than we want to. We have a superintendent search and bond and override elections happening. I don’t think we want to get involved in legal proceedings unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
Board President Patti Serrano reminded Rohrs that the “if needed” clause is in the motion.
Earlier in the Sept. 10 meeting, more than 15 teachers, students, former students and parents spoke during public input about on-site career and technical education, all in positive ways. Their main contention was that the board should preserve and continue to fight for on-campus CTE programming, as opposed to arrangements that involve students having to travel from their homes to one of EVIT’s Mesa facilities.
Rohrs interrupted at the end of public input, stating there are no plans to eliminate any Chandler CTE programs, pointing out CUSD has doubled its budget and has millions of dollars in a designated reserve. Serrano reminded Rohrs to limit his feedback on public input to correcting the record on facts.
But Stephanie Ingersoll, spokesperson for CUSD, said EVIT is proposing funding cuts of 5% in the first year, 9% in the second year and 12% in the third year.
CUSD spends $873,000 annually to transport students to EVIT’s Central campus in Mesa, Ingersoll said. Among Chandler’s 21 CTE programs, nine are unique to the district and are not offered at EVIT.
At least seven other districts have joined CUSD in taking legal steps to stop the cuts, as of this writing.
Jason W. Brooks News Editor | Chandler Independent
Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.
Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.
Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.
Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here