By Richard Smith
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X: @rsmithYWV

The Glendale Elementary School District celebrated Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Dewain Fox's decision this week that state lawmakers are violating their constitutional requirements to adequately fund public schools so students can learn.

The case itself, Glendale Elementary School District et al. v. State of Arizona, was filed in 2017 by Glendale Elementary School District, Crane Elementary School District, Chino Valley Unified School District, and Elfrida Elementary School District, along with the Arizona School Boards Association, the Arizona Education Association, and Arizona School Administrators.

The lawsuit challenged Arizona’s public school capital funding system, alleging that chronic underfunding has resulted in insufficient support for school buildings and impacts student learning. 

“This decision is a victory not only for the Glendale Elementary School District, but for every student in Arizona,” stated GESD Superintendent Cindy Segotta-Jones in a press release. “It affirms what educators, families, and communities have long known, that every child deserves to learn in safe, well-maintained, and well-equipped schools. We are grateful to the Court for recognizing the importance of equitable investment in our children’s education.”

In a 114-page decision released Wednesday, Fox said many schools lack the resources to do everything from provide adequate equipment to keep buildings in repair. He cited a laundry list of unmet needs including in some cases buildings that are unsafe because of cracks and other deficiencies.

The bottom line, Fox said, is he will issue a permanent injunction requiring lawmakers to come up with the funds to meet their obligations.
Less clear is how quickly that can occur — and in what form.

House Speaker Steve Montenegro promised Wednesday to take the new ruling to a higher court. That is not surprising as GOP leaders have argued since the case was first filed that there is no such constitutional requirement to fund schools.

In its press release, GESD stated that it is committed to working alongside state leaders and education partners to ensure that this ruling results in tangible improvements for Arizona schools.

The district also thanked the team of attorneys and all plaintiffs for their efforts throughout these proceedings. 

Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services contributed to this story

Richard Smith
Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.