STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – State Representative Matt Gress, Chairman of the House Education Committee, responds to the latest Arizona Auditor General report on Spending in the Classroom, which highlights how Arizona school districts allocate resources. The report shows that while total spending increased $519 million from the previous year, instructional spending decreased for the third year in a row. School districts now spend the lowest percentage ever reported in the classroom—just 52.6% of operational spending.

From the report:

“The FY 2024 State-wide Instructional Spending Percentage is the lowest it has been since we began monitoring in FY 2001, despite total operational spending reaching an all-time high of $10.54 billion.”

“Arizona school districts have more resources today than ever before,” said Chairman Gress. “The state’s $16 billion K-12 education program provides more than $15,000 per pupil. Yet, once again, district leadership has disproportionately allocated money to areas other than instruction. Collectively, school districts have $7.8 billion in ending fund balances—an astonishing sum. Arizonans have sent a message, loud and clear: they want more money spent in the classroom, and districts appear to be ignoring it.”

The report revealed that 120 of 206 school districts decreased spending in the classroom as a percentage of operational spending. While most school districts increased average teacher pay, 38% saw a decrease, which may be due to the replacement or loss of experienced teachers. The percentage of teachers with four or more years of experience dropped sharply from 82% to 78% since last year.

“While I’m encouraged that average teacher pay continues to slowly rise, our school districts should be doing much more for our teachers,” Chairman Gress added. “The report shows that if districts allocated the same percentage to classroom instruction as they did twenty years ago, an additional $624 million would be available for teacher pay—enough to increase salaries by $8,500 per year. Resources are available but teachers are taking the back seat to administration.” 

Matt Gress is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives serving Legislative District 4 in Phoenix and is Chairman of the House Committee on Education. Follow him on X at @MatthewGress.