Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a ballot referendum to raise $900 million per year for state K-12 education funding.

Highlights:

• Requires money distributed to the classroom site fund be allocated for the following (Sec. 4):

• Classroom size reduction;

• Teacher compensation, including base and performance pay;

• Teacher development;

• Educational intervention & dropout prevention program;

• Voluntary full-day kindergarten;

• Student support services;

• Tutoring;

• Character education;

• School safety;

• Career and technical education;

• School improvement; and

• Transportation.

• Appropriates the following amounts to the Department of Education (Sec. 14):

• $86,280,500 in monthly installments to fund basic state aid for additional school days; and

• $7,800,000 in monthly installments to fund school safety.

• Appropriates 82 percent of the amount remaining after the aforementioned distributions to the classroom site fund in monthly installments (Sec. 14).

• Appropriates 13.75 percent of the amount remaining after the aforementioned distributions for the following in monthly installments (Sec. 14):

• $86,469,200 to the Arizona Technology and Research Initiative, increasing annually by 2 percent beginning in fiscal year 2022-2023; and

• The remaining amount to be distributed to the Arizona Board of Regents proportionally to each university based on the number of students that receive in-state tuition.

• Appropriates 4.25 percent of the amount remaining after the aforementioned distributions for the following in monthly installments (Sec. 14):

• $1.5 million to the Trade and Workforce Development Account established by each community college district; and

• The remaining amount to be distributed to each provisional community college district and the treasurer of an indigenous tribe for each owned-and-operate community college on a reservation.

• Establishes that the purpose of this bill is to mitigate the additional rate increment to the state transaction privilege tax and use the tax rate for education (Sec. 19).

• Establishes that this bill takes effect on June 30, 2021 (Sec. 20). 

• Establishes that this bill only takes effect on June 30, 2021 if the Arizona Constitution is not amended by the next general election (Sec. 21).

Full Bill Text