By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
PHOENIX -- More than two thirds of the school districts in Arizona spent a smaller percentage of their available dollars in classroom instruction in the last school year than the year before, according to a new report.
And overall spending, on average, is the lowest percentage since the Auditor General's Office began monitoring in 2004.
Data from that office found that overall spending on instruction among all the districts in the state increased by more than $341.4 million. And overall spending hit nearly $12.6 billion, up by nearly $1 billion, much of that likely due to continued COVID-19 relief funds.
But while there was more money in the system, the report says that just 53.4 cents of every dollars was spent in the instruction category. That covers everything from teachers and aides to instructional supplies, field trips and athletics.
That is down 1.1 percentage points on a statewide basis from the prior school year.
Auditor General Lindsey Perry said multiple larger, urban districts reported that they had to spend more of every dollar they were getting on student and instructional support services. Examples cited included counselors and instructional coaches as well as having to use more expensive contractors to fill support service needs for special education students.
Perry also said that multiple districts of varying sides said they made large investments in instructional materials the prior year -- spending that counts toward instructional dollars -- but did not have similar purchases this past year.
And there was something else. She said rural districts reported that they lost tenured teachers who were replaced with lower-paid staff.
"However, FY 2023 was the second year in a row that most districts' and the statewide instructional spending percentage decreased, indicating the potential start of a trend of districts allocating more of their available resources to operational areas other than instruction,'' Perry wrote.
The results of the annual report have played a role in the perennial debates at the Legislature about whether the dollars being allocated actually are getting into the classroom.
And this one comes as lawmakers are debating competing plans designed to use proceeds from the state land trust to hike teacher pay.
The plan backed by Republican legislators earmarks all of the proceeds to teacher pay, arguing that is the greatest need. But Gov. Katie Hobbs and Democrats are backing a different plan, with more money, that also would raise salaries of support staff, from counselors and coaches to bus drivers and cafeteria help.
One important note is that 53.4% figure does not represent everything devoted to services provided to students.
Student support, the costs of counselors, audiologists, speech pathologists, nurses, social workers and attendance services, ate up another 9.5 cents of every dollar. Add to that another 6.2 cents for instruction support which includes librarians, teacher training, curriculum development, special education directors, media specialists and instruction-related technology services.
That gets to 69.1 cents on each dollar.
Of the balance, the largest share -- 11.6 cents -- is for utilities, building maintenance, grounds keeping and security.
There's another 10.3% for administration, starting with the school superintendent and principals along with business managers, clerical and accounting staff and human resources.
That leaves 4.5 cents for food services and 4.5 cents for maintaining and operating the buses to get students to and from school and activities.
On that question of teacher pay, the report also contains data showing that average teacher pay in Arizona hit $62,934 last school year. And that is the equivalent, on average, of a 30% increase since the 2016-2017 school year, some of that fueled by COVID relief dollars.
That word "average'' is significant: More than one out of every five districts actually saw a decrease in average year-over-year teacher salaries.
The report says those districts, along with others that gave relatively small raises, may have used dollars they received intended for teacher salary increases for other purposes.
But it also cites that issue of teacher experience.
"Most districts that had a decrease in average teacher salary also employed, on average, less-experienced teacher than the prior fiscal year,'' it says, teachers who are paid less.
Nearly one out of every five teachers has been on the job for three years or less, with an average salary statewide of $47,952.
Still, on a statewide basis, the average years of teacher experience increased a tenth of a point, to 11.9 years. But there also was an increase in the average number of students per teacher, up from 17.2 the prior year to 17.7.
The report also looked at operational efficiencies.
Overall, the number of students per administrative position stayed pretty much the same. But the spending for student went from $1,088 in the 2021-2022 school year to $1,207 last year.
Food service costs also are up to $4.12 per student this past year versus $3.25 the year before. But the number of meals served had decreased.
The report says this was likely due to a waiver from the federal government which expired last school year that allowed school districts to serve free meals to all students regardless of household income and receive a fixed-rate reimbursement per meal from the federal government. That expiration, the report says, led to decreased participation in their food service programs, resulting in fewer meals service.
—--
On X and Threads: @azcapmedia
Information on how selected districts spent their money and other factors.
District / % 2023 money in instruction / 2022 / students per teacher* / avg teacher pay / avg yrs exp / % teachers in 1st 3 years
* Students per teacher is total students divided by total certified teachers including specialty areas like art, music and physical education
Statewide / 53.4% / 54.5% / 17.7 / $62,934 / 11.9 / 18%
Ajo Unified / 46.8%/ 45.9% / 12.0 / $40,791 / 9.9 / 72%
Alpine Elementary / 61.9% / 61.3% / 10.9 / $65,371 / 11.0 / NA
Altar Valley Elementary / 41.0% / 42.2% / 22.4 / $52,194 / 8.8 / 25%
Amphitheater Unified / 51.6 / 52.2% / 14.6 / $57.586 / 12.6 / 15%
Antelope Union / 40.7 / 45.5% / 15.2 / $44,765 / 18.5 / 23%
Apache Elementary / 47.0% / 47.3% / 11.5 / $61,954 / 17.0 / NA
Apache Junction Unified / 52.6% / 52.7% / 16.6 / $55,424 / 11.8 / 49%
Ash Creek Elementary / 31.2% / 35.1% / 11.2 / $47,254 / 17.7 / 40%
Ash Fork Joint Unified / 45.5% / 50.8% / 19.1 / $66,223 / 9.1 / 29%
Beaver Creek Elementary / 53.2% / 54.1% / 24.2 / $63,934 / 16.1 / 8%
Benson Unified / 52.6% / 53.7% / 18.2 / $52,731 / 10.2 / 19%
Bisbee Unified / 51.4% / 55.3% / 15.5 / $59,969 / 12.3 / 19%
Blue Elementary / 71.6% / 70.7% / 11.3 / $69,790 / 20.0 / NA
Blue Ridge Unified / 51.4% / 52.9% / 16.9 / $64,347 / 16.3 / 7%
Bonita Elementary / 60.0% / 61.4% / 9.6 / $65,599 / 25.3 / 10%
Camp Verde Unified / 55.7% / 57.1% / 19.5 / $67,793 / 10.9 / 24%
Casa Grande Elementary / 50.6% / 49.2% / 19.7 / $57,717 / 10.9 / 17%
Casa Grande Union / 49.8% / 50.3% / 23.7 / $77,222 / 13.2 / 14%
Catalina Foothills Unified / 57.0% / 56.3% / 17.6 / $59,597 / 12.2 / 9%
Cave Creek Unified / 52.2% / 53.3% / 18.9 / $58,585 / 12.8 / 18%
Chandler Unified / 57.7% / 58.2% / 18.2 / $70,845 / 12.9 / 11%
Chino Valley Unified / 49.7% / 47.9% / 20.6 / $55,606 / 13.1/ 19%
Clarkdale-Jerome Elem. / 59.0% / 59.9% / 21.5 / $75,962 / 17.6 / 5%
Cochise Elementary / 57.1% / 57.2% / 8.5 / $57,303 / 12.9 / 5%
Concho Elementary / 42.8% / 44.0% / 11.9 / $44.673 / 8.2 / 36%
Continental Elementary / 54.4% / 56.8% / 15.9 / $56,021 / 12.4 / 14%
Coolidge Unified / 49.8% / 52.5% / 19.1 / $59,488 / 10.2 / 12%
Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elem / 50.7% / 53.6% / 17.1 / $55.043 / 14.4 / 12%
Crane Elementary / 50.2% / 51.5% / 21.4 / $61,409 / 8.8 / 35%
Deer Valley Unified / 60.2% / 59.4% / 16.4 / $62,751 / 12.5 / 21%
Double Adobe Elementary / 54.7% / 58.2% / 10.7 / $56,637 / 9.3 / 36%
Douglas Unified / 55.5% / 55.7% / 19.9 / $64,548 / 10.8 / 18%
Duncan Unified / 44.7% / 46.6% / 17.2 / $53,783 / 7.1 / 36%
Dysart Unified / 56.8% / 57.9% / 18.6 / $54,917 / 11.1 / 11%
Elfrida Elementary / 57.0% / 60.5% / 11.9 / $42,100 / 14.0 / 16%
Eloy Elementary / 47.6% / 47.7% / 16.4 / $50,471 / 10.4 / 28%
Flagstaff Unified / 51.4% / 52.0% / 15.9 / $55,727 / 10.2 / 31%
Florence Unified / 52.7% / 52.4% / 17.6 / $57,066 / 10.4 / 20%
Flowing Wells Unified / 54.6% / 56.8% / 17.3 / $60,702 / 10.7 / 24%
Fountain Hills Unified / 45.5% / 47.5% / 16.6 / $46,629 / 7.0 / 30%
Ft. Thomas Unified / 53.7% / 54.5% / 11.8 / $68,488 / 11.1 / 10%
Gadsden Elementary / 47.8% / 49.8% / 23.3 / $54,091 / 9.0 / 35%
Gilbert Unified / 58.9% / 59.6% / 16.5 / $62,870 / 12.7 / 19%
Glendale Elementary / 52.1% / 49.7% / 20.2 / $50,824 / 10.0 / 30%
Glendale Union / 58.6% / 58.1% / 22.1 / $85,713 / 13.5 / 19%
Grand Canyon Unified / 45.6% / 40.0% / 10.3 / $60,293 / 10.3 / 6%
Heber-Overgaard Unified / 53.3% / 52.8% / 14.5 / $55,748 / 15.2 / 17%
Higley Unified / 60.7% / 59.9% / 17.7 / $66,796 / 10.0 / 15%
Holbrook Unified / 53.6%/ 53.9% / NR / NR / NR / NR
Humboldt Unified / 55.8% / 55.9% / 18.3 / $62,934 / 11.3 / 30%
J.O. Combs Unified / 51.7% / 50.7% / 18.5 / $54,009 / 11.7 / 21%
Joseph City Unified / 43.7% / 44.4% / 14.3 / $50,856 / 9.9 / 12%
Kingman Unified / 49.8% / 50.2% / 19.3 / $53,150 / 9.1 / 24%
Kyrene Elementary / 59.3% / 58.8% / 15.9 / $61,359 / 13.4 / 11%
Lake Havasu Unified / 55.7% / 56.9% / 19.8 / $55,762 / 9.6 / 30%
Mammoth-San Manuel Unified / 53.4% / 53.2% / 14.0 / $55,922 / 10.2 / 20%
Marana Unified / 55.9% / 56.8% / 15.8 / $56.066 / 12.8 / 17%
Maricopa Unified / 51.8% / 53.5% / 20.3 / $64.974 / 10.9 / 8%
McNeal Elementary / 41.5% / 43.7% / 21.2 / $69,089 / 13.0 / 50%
Mesa Unified / 54.3% / 56.7% / 16.7 / $70,983 / 13.3 / 21%
Mingus Union / 56.4% / 57.2% / 20.6 / $71,834 / 13.6 5%
Mohave Valley Elementary / 51.0% / 50.0% / 22.5 / $74,574 / 10.7 / 10%
Morenci Unified / 59.3% / 57.4% / 16.2 / $64,831 / 13.3 / 17%
Naco Elementary / 55.2% / 55.5% / 15.4 / $47,604 / 6.5 / 6%
Nogales Unified / 52.7% / 54.5% / 20.7 / $58,286 / 15.0 / 10%
Oracle Elementary / 50.5% / 53.0% / 15.2 / $56,210 / 18.2 / NA
Palominas Elementary / 48.8% / 51.3% / 14.7 / $49,180 / 10.5 / 18%
Paradise Valley Unified / 56.7% / 58.7% / 15.6 / $60,752 / 12.3 / 18%
Parker Unified / 53.7% / 53.1% / 16.0 / $64,517 / 12.5 / 13%
Patagonia Elementary+ / 48.1% / 48.5% / 10.7 / $47,249 / 11.7 / 18%
Patagonia Union+ / 48.1% / 48.5/ 10.7 / $47,249 / 11.7 / 18%
Payson Unified / 51.4% / 51.1% / 17.5 / $56,562 / 11.2 / 25%
Pearce Elementary / 50.7% / 51.8% / 18.6 / $55,451 / 10.0 / 15%
Peoria Unified / 56.5% / 57.1% / 18.1 / $59,762 / 12.9 / 12%
Picacho Elementary / 43.3% / 49.5% / 19.4 / $54,224 / 10.0 / 13%
Pima Unified / 66.9% / 66.9% / 14.5 / $52,938 / 8.9 / 44%
Pomerene Elementary / 50.7% / 52.3% / 14.1 / $52,671 / 20.1 / NA
Prescott Unified / 54.6% / 55.0% / 18.7 / $59,743 / 11.4 / 17%
Queen Creek Unified / 56.7% / 57.0% / 18.6 / $56,707 / 11.6 / 8%
Red Rock Elementary / 58.7% / 61.1% / 15.6 / $52,567 / 11.0 / 24%
Round Valley Unified / 56/2% / 55.2% / 19.5 / $59,683 / 11.8 / 25%
Safford Unified / 63.8% / 63.7% / 19.1 / $67,349 / 10.7 / 19%
Sahuarita Unified / 56.0% / 57.1% / 18.8 / $53,712 / 8.3 / 15%
San Simon Unified / 45.5% / 51.8% / 9.9 / $53,964 / 20.9 / NA
Santa Cruz Elementary / 48.5% / 45.3% / 13.4 / $61,604 / 9.2 / 31%
Santa Cruz Valley Unified / 51.0% / 52.9% / 20.0 / $57,139 / 12.4 / 14%
Santa Cruz Valley Union / 41.4% / 40.8% / 21.8 / $53,318 / 9.8 / 12%
Scottsdale Unified / 54.6% / 54.1% / 16.4 / $64,095 / 14.3 / 17%
Sedona-Oak Creek Jt. Unif / 51.4% / 50.4% / 15.3 / $72,824 / 8.2 / 36%
Show Low Unified / 52.9% / 55.5% / 19.2 / $58,159 / 12.1 / 15%
Sierra Vista Unified* / 49.8% / 48.8% / 20.4 / $58,131 / 11.9 / 19%
Snowflake Unified / 59.2% / 59.5% / 21.3 / $56,996 / 11.8 / 8%
Solomon Elementary / 50.1% / 49.9% / 14.3 / $52,718 / 10.4 / 8%
Somerton Elementary / 52.1% / 55.1% / 17.3 / $61,062 / 10.9 / 21%
Sonoita Elementary / 51.8% / 55.6% / 10.4 / $55,790 / 7.4 / 23%
St. David Unified / 53.2% / 50.2% / 19.3 / $48,610 / 7.5 / 46%
St. Johns Unified / 50.5% / 50.7% / 20.2 / $56,184 / 12.6 / 34%
Stanfield Elementary / 36.2% / 41.3% / 18.8 / $48,456 / 16.3 / 19%
Sunnyside Unified / 50.9% / 51.2% / 18.9 / $64,783 / 12.6 / 19%
Tanque Verde Unified / 57.1% / 58.5% / 17.0 / $55,996 / 14.3 / 16%
Tempe Elementary / 53.0% / 57.1% / 14.8 / $60.637 / 10.1 / 21%
Tempe Union / 52.5% / 53.4% / 21.5 / $69,283 / 14.9
Thatcher Unified / 50.2% / 62.9% / 20.5 / $71,065 / 14.6 / 10%
Tombstone Unified / 49.5% / 49.1% / 15.6 / $59,941 / 15.3 / 15%
Tucson Unified / 51.2% / 54.3% / 14.5 / $59,430 / 13.7 / 14%
Vail Unified / 53.0% / 52.2% / 21.3 / $53,244 / 9.2 / 17%
Valley Union / 45.8% / 52.2% / 12.9 / $65,054 / 11.3 / NA
Vernon Elementary / 47.3% / 48.0% / 11.3 / $59,706 / 7.9 / 28%
Willcox Unified / 55.7% / 57.4% / 15.8 / $58,503 / 17.3 / 15%
Williams Unified / 58.1% / 57.2% / 15.2 / $62,254 / 9.2 / 31%
Winslow Unified / 54.0% / 52.5% / 17.7 / $58,019 / 12.0 / 21%
Yarnell Elementary / 39.9% / 39.1% / 7.0 / $54,158 / 11.8 / NA
Yuma Elementary / 49.7% / 52.1% / 19.0 / $53,838 / 11.3 / 27%
Yuma Union / 49.9% / 50.9% / 25.5 / $68,098 / 9.8 / 13%
* Auditor General reports that the district did not respond to confirm the accuracy of its data
+ The matching figures between Patagonia Elementary and Patagonia Union High School are as reported as they essentially operate as one district and comingle expenses.
-- Source: Auditor General's Office