EVIT agrees with court ruling for more accountability in school districts’ spending

A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruling was issued Friday in the legal dispute between the East Valley Institute of Technology and nine school districts.

The judge agreed with EVIT that the court cannot order the parties to enter into an intergovernmental agreement or dictate the apportionment of EVIT Career Technical Education District funding, that the parties must follow state law, and that the districts are not entitled to receive funding in excess of the cost of the services provided, according to a release.

“We agree with what the judge is saying: The EVIT CTED should not pass-through taxpayer dollars to these districts that exceed the cost of the CTE programs offered in their high schools,” EVIT Superintendent Dr. Chad Wilson said in the release. “The tens of millions of dollars that they are sitting on instead of supporting our students and our teachers, causes concern that we have indeed overfunded them.”

The nine districts — Apache Junction, Cave Creek, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Higley, J.O. Combs, Queen Creek and Tempe — sued EVIT last fall when IGA negotiations stalled. State law requires school districts to have IGAs with the CTED to receive CTED funding for CTE programs in their high schools, known as satellite programs.

EVIT wants to reduce their funding and retain a higher percentage so EVIT can provide more oversight, support and services to the satellite programs, as recommended by the Arizona auditor general, the release states.

The ruling by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Coury states: “Any IGA / written agreement entered must specify (i) that payment for services shall not exceed the cost of the services provided, and (ii) a listing (itemized) of other goods and services that EVIT is providing to the District in connection with Satellite Programming and that will be paid for by EVIT’s retention of funding.”

The judge’s ruling also requires EVIT to itemize the services it will provide to the districts’ CTE programs — something EVIT is willing to do, the release states.

EVIT equips high school and adult learners with the skills and training needed to succeed in today’s workforce. Through flexible pathways connecting high school and postsecondary programs, EVIT provides a proven, cost-effective education option for East Valley students. Go to www.EVIT.edu.