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Yuma School District ONE

One Community Pursuing Excellence

Proposition 320

What is Prop 320?

Proposition 320 is a statewide ballot measure that will be on the November 2026 ballot. If passed, Prop 320 would require certain school districts to spend at least 60% of their operational spending on direct instructional expenses. If approved, it would add Section 15-917 to the Arizona Revised Statutes.

Yuma School District One has established this webpage to provide the community with factual information regarding Prop 320. District One does not advocate for or against this ballot measure.

A blue informational graphic asks "Who Does Prop 320 Apply To?" with a school icon and explanatory text.

A blue informational graphic titled 'How Will Districts Comply, if Passed?' with a bar chart and upward arrow icon on the left.

A blue graphic with white text asks "What Does Prop 320 Require:" and explains it requires school districts to spend 60% on instruction.

A blue infographic titled 'What if a District is Out of Compliance?' detailing the percentage reduction schedule for the Classroom Site Fund from Year 1 to Year 4.

FY 2025 Direct Instruction Expenses

Yuma School District One FY 2025

A colorful pie chart displaying District One's instructional spending at 48.7% for fiscal year 2025.

Source: AZ Auditor General

 

An infographic showing FY25 direct instruction spending at 48.7%, a proposed target of 60%, and a difference of 11.3%.

Expenses categorized as 60% Direct Instruction

Money spent for teachers, teachers’ aides, substitutes and instructional materials would count towards reaching the 60% threshold spent on “Direct Instruction.”

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    Teachers
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    Teacher's Aides
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    Substitute Teahers
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    Instructional Supplies

Expenses that are not categorized as Direct Instruction

The following services are some of the areas that support students, but would not count towards 60% spent on Direct Instruction.

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    Transportation
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    Food Services
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    Health Support Services
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    Speech Therapists
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    Counselors
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    Para-Librarian
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    IT Related Services
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    SRO's and Security Services
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    Custodial, Maintenance & Grounds

Every area of our District serves students, but not all of it counts towards “Direct Instruction”

Under Prop 320, only expenditures classified as “Instruction” would cound toward the proposed 60% percent. Some services that directly serve students are not coded as direct instruction under the current definitions.

Expenses categorized as 60% Direct Instruction

Teachers

Instructional Assistants

Substitute Teachers

Instructional Supplies and Aids

Field Trips

Athletics and Cocurricular Activities

Tuition

Expenses that are not categorized as Direct Instruction

Student Support

Counselors

Psychologists

Nurses

Speech, occupational and physical therapy services

Social workers

Instruction Support

Teacher training

Instructional coaches

Curriculum development

Librarians

Media services

Information technology

Administration

Superintendents

Principals

Clerical services

Business services

Human resources

Governing Board costs

Plant Operations

Maintenance

Custodial services

Utilities

Security

School Resource Officers

Crossing guards

Food Services and Transportation

School meals

Buses

Drivers

Mechanics

Professional development and program offerings

Administration services -School and District administration clerical, accounting, payroll, human resources, purchasing, warehouse, technology, curriculum support, student services, communications

Operations services -building maintenance & repairs, fire alarm/security systems, liability insurance, costs for heating, cooling, lighting/utilities

Food services – food supplies and other costs related to serving student meals

Transportation services – costs for maintaining buses and transporting students

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Prop 320 Frequently Asked Questions

  • Every school district in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal county, plus those with 7,500 or more students outside of the three counties. This currently includes Yuma Union, Yuma Elementary and Flagstaff Unified, along with small and rural districts within the three counties. It does not apply to charter schools. Whether it applies to Career & Technical Education Districts (CTEDs) has not yet been determined.

  • A "Yes" vote would:

    • Require certain school districts to spend at least 60% of operational spending on direct instruction.
    • Direct the Arizona Auditor General to define relevant terms.
    • Reduce certain state funding for districts that do not comply with the requirement.

  • A "No" vote would keep current law in place. The proposed 60% spending requirement and related funding penalties would not be adopted.

  • No. Prop 320 does not change the sales-tax rate. Any reduced allocations remain in the Classroom Site Fund for the next year’s statewide distribution rather than being returned to taxpayers or another fund.

  • No. Proposition 320 does not provide additional funding. It instructs districts how to allocate their existing operational funds.

  • As defined by the Arizona Auditor General "direct instruction" includes:

    • Teachers
    • Teachers' aides
    • Substitute teachers
    • Graders
    • Guest lecturers
    • General instructional supplies
    • Instructional aids
    • Field trips
    • Athletics
    • Co-curricular activities
    • Tuition

  • The following operational categories are identified as not counting toward direct instruction:

    Student Support

    • Counselors
    • Psychologists
    • Nurses
    • Speech, occupational and physical therapy services
    • Social workers

    Instruction Support

    • Teacher training
    • Instructional coaches
    • Curriculum development
    • Librarians
    • Media services
    • Information technology

    Administration

    • Superintendents
    • Principals
    • Clerical services
    • Business services
    • Human resources
    • Governing Board costs

    Plant Operations

    • Maintenance
    • Custodial services
    • Utilities
    • Security
    • School Resource Officers
    • Crossing guards

    Food Services and Transportation

    • School meals
    • Buses
    • Drivers
    • Mechanics

  • By dividing total spending in the instruction category by total day-to-day operational spending, using dollars actually expended.

  • Beginning in fiscal year 2028, districts below the 60% threshold would be required to increase their direct instruction share by at least 0.5 percentage points per year until they reach 60%. Increases greater than 0.5 percentage points in a year may be credited toward future years.

    If a district is determined to be out of compliance, the Arizona Department of Education would reduce the district's Classroom Site Fund distribution according to the following schedule:

    • Year 1: 25% reduction
    • Year 2: 50% reduction
    • Year 3: 75% reduction
    • Year 4: 100% reduction

    Waivers: The Superintendent of Public Instruction is allowed to provide a one-year waiver from the penalty to individual districts up to two times during a ten-year period.

  • Prop 320 was referred to Arizona voters by the Arizona Legislature. It was not initiated by local school districts.

  • If approved by voters, the new spending requirement would apply beginning in Fiscal Year 2027-28. The proposition establishes a process for districts below 60% to move toward compliance over time.

    Beginning in fiscal year 2028, districts below the 60% threshold would be required to increase their direct instruction share by at least 0.5 percentage points per year until they reach 60%. Increases greater than 0.5 percentage points in a year may be credited toward future years.