(The Center Square) – Teachers in the Isaac Elementary School District should be receiving their paychecks soon.
The fate of their future pay remained in question despite the educators’ decision to come back to work earlier this week for the district that is currently financially underwater by an estimated $28.5 million.
The state Department of Education recently obtained $6 million in emergency funding from the federal government, and the Tolleson Union High School District voted to loan the district another $25 million in taxpayer dollars to help keep the district operating, which was approved by Maricopa County Treasurer John Allen.
“The crisis in the Isaac district is over and the teachers are getting paid. I want to applaud them for their patience and heroism in continuing to do their jobs this week. I also want to thank County Treasurer John Allen for his statesmanship,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said in a statement on Friday.
State Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, said the House Education Committee plans to dive into the “details of this agreement.”
“While I am relieved that 4,800 kids will not be turned away from school, I am deeply concerned that these two school districts have engaged in a highly unusual and potentially unlawful financial transaction that has made an absolute mockery of school finance,” Gress said in a statement posted to X on Friday.
Attorney General Kris Mayes told The Center Square that her office would investigate why the district had wound up in such a deep fiscal hole.
Lawmakers in the legislature are also looking into why as well as moving forward with Gress’ bill, House Bill 2610, to help enable more funding and removing governing board leaders when situations like this unfold.
The district superintendent, Dr. Mario Ventura, stepped down last week.
