Citizens for Havasu Schools

HISTORY

August 2015, 200 LHC citizens came together at a town hall to identify challenges of the community. The number one identified issue was educator pay. From the town hall, a subcommittee was formed calling themselves Citizens for Havasu Schools. That group held a series of education town halls to share the challenges that LHUSD faces and heard concerns from residents about the schools. The overwhelming concern was lack of funding. At that point, Citizens for Havasu Schools began to organize a community led funding measure.

Citizens for Havasu Schools

The group continued to get feedback from residents through Town Halls and surveys. The group decided that a bond and override was needed, but these would be developed by community members with the school district as a partner. Over the last decade, LHUSD has been unable to garner community support for two overrides and a bond, despite the fact that most schools in AZ use these funding mechanisms. To better engage the community, Citizens for Havasu Schools has taken it upon themselves to lead the way in promoting and asking for support from community members for this needed funding.

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

• • 

•

• 

•

AUGUST ‘15 ∙ Town Hall SEPTEMBER ‘15 ∙ Education committee establishes need for Town Halls OCTOBER ‘15 ∙ Education committee meeting

• 

NOVEMBER ‘15 ∙  First Education Town Hall at LHHS ∙ Education committee meeting

• 

DECEMBER ‘15 ∙ Surveys distributed and analyzed ∙ Education committee meeting

• 

JANUARY ‘16 ∙ Education committee meeting

• 

FEBRUARY ‘16 ∙  Starline Town Hall ∙  Subcommittee meets with district to discuss budget

MARCH ‘16 ∙ Thunderbolt Town Hall ∙ Met with Bond Council ∙ Education committee meeting ∙ Subcommittee meeting with District to discuss budget APRIL ‘16 ∙  Education committee meeting ∙  Subcommittee meets with district to discuss budget

•

MAY ‘16 ∙  Subcommittee meets with district to discuss budget ∙  Smoketree Town Hall ∙  Education committee meeting ∙  Education committee meeting

•

JUNE ‘16 ∙  Oro Grande Town Hall ∙  Education committee meeting

26

LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT 5 BUDGET SUB COMMITTEE MEETINGS 1 BOND COUNCIL MEETING

15

REGULAR MEETINGS

5

EDUCATION TOWN HALLS

LHUSD#1 BOND/OVERRIDE HISTORY

FAILED

LHUSD #1 K-3 Override 7,158 Total Votes

PASSED

FAILED

LHUSD #1 Bond $29.6m Paid In Full July 2015

1996

FAILED

LHUSD #1 K-12 Override 7,171 Total Votes

2009

2005

PASSED

LHUSD #1 K-12 Override 10% of Revenue Control Limit = $2.5m

PASSED

LHUSD #1 K-3 Override 5% of Revenue Control Limit = $854k

LHUSD #1 Bond by 249 votes $67.4m

2014

NEW APPROACH

COMMUNITY INPUT is at the forefront of this proposal. Our team of committed volunteers spent countless hours listening and learning from our stakeholders.

LHUSD #1

Parents are frustrated with the poor condition of our schools, educators are talking about unprecedented levels of staff turnover, and the business community is expressing concerns over the ability to recruit and retain quality workforce. Our team realized very early on that the more input and frank discussion derived from the Town Hall series would lead to a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the current state of our local school system.

BUSINESS COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

OLD APPROACH/PARADIGM LHUSD #1

COMMUNITY

VISION 20/20 REVITALIZATION PLAN

PARENTS

Vision 20/20 was created out of the Town Hall focusing on five areas of need that were identified by community members to address the issue of revitalization. 5 KEY AREAS OF FOCUS

FACT

1. Pass School Funding Measure(s) 2. Retain Teachers 3. Build Robust Career Pathways 4. Develop Sector-Based Training 5. Create a Strong Business/Education Collaborative

“Better schools” was the overwhelming response, by 34% of participants, from the August Town Hall for opportunities to strengthen and grow our economy.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & JOB CREATION

EDUCATION & TALENT SUPPLY

TOURISM & PLACE DEVELOPMENT

WATER

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

“

A quality local education system is critical to the advancement of our goals in Vision 20/20. With the decline in an available trained workforce, throughout our nation, attracting talent to our community is critical if Lake Havasu City expects to sustain a vibrant economy for decades to come. We must become a desirable place to live, work and raise a family. It all starts by recognizing the importance of education to the talent supply we wish to attract.

— Mayor Mark Nexsen

TOWN HALL SERIES

Education Town Halls were held at five of the schools to give the community an opportunity to voice concerns and share successes of their local school. Staff reviewed information about the facility and work conditions. Town Halls will continue throughout the fall at the remaining schools. The Fact Sheets were created to better inform the community about school specifics.

“

One of the primary drivers for healthcare professionals to choose to come to a new area is the quality of the education system in that community. It is vital that we work to ensure that Lake Havasu has an excellent K-12 system that stands out above the rest. —M  ike Patterson | CEO Havasu Regional Medical Center

HAVASUPAI

JAMAICA

NAUTILUS

ORO GRANDE

SMOKETREE

STARLINE

THUNDERBOLT

LHHS

TOWN HALL

STAFF PAY

TOTAL

$1,376,330.65

$1,799,887.96

$1,226,992.19

$1,248,361.13

$1,715,299.82

$1,755, 772.14

$2,730,507.70

$6,048,170.13

$16,145,549.58

383

570

348

362

527

635

862

1772

5,459

32

42

36

29

64

45

67

127

442

53,100

51,984

47,273

47,273

57,991

51,255

183,694

272,074

764,644

A

A

A

B

B

A

B

B

STUDENTS

STAFF

CAMPUS SQ FT

SCHOOL’S GRADE

OVERRIDE

What is an override? Overrides are used to provide additional funding to support what happens inside school or community college classrooms (teaching, learning and operations). School districts may ask for an increase of up to 15% of their budget for their M&O override. Overrides are approved for a term of 7 years.

Many school districts will ask voters to approve a renewal in year 4 or 5 of an override to maintain a consistent level of funding. If not renewed, the amount decreases by 1/3 in the 6th year and 2/3 in the 7th year. A maintenance and operations override (M&O) supports things such as teacher salaries, benefits, supplies and general operations.

Looking at the needs of the district and survey data, the committee recommends the override be focused on three areas:

Source: Expect More Arizona

OVERRIDE

=

PEOPLE

Goals 1 2 3

Educator Pay Health Benefits Reduce Athletic Fees

15%

5 YEAR COMMITMENT

MEDIAN HOUSE

$250,000

MONTHLY

$13.22

YEARLY

$158.60

5 YEAR COMMITMENT

$793

EDUCATOR PAY

SAN DIEGO $73,530

Median compensation for teachers is not competitive regionally or nationally. This year,

50%

of the elementary schools lost their principals.

NATIONAL AVERAGE $56,310 LAS VEGAS $51,960 PHOENIX $47,230

The district had

20%

teacher turnover.

GOAL PARKER $33,000 LHC $31,500

HEALTH BENEFITS $11,304 Annual premiums for employer-sponsored health coverage has been rising steadily for the past decade. Lake Havasu Unified School District just raised their per employee funding from $4,800 to $5,300 in 2015. Unfortunately, this increase is not adequate in comparison to the national average of healthcare costs at $11,304 per employee.

$9,000 $5,300

$7,300 (+$2,000)

CURRENT

GOAL

CITY

NTL. AVG

ATHLETIC FEES REDUCE FEE

$800

$400

BOND

What is a bond? With voter approval, public school districts or community colleges may issue bonds (which are purchased by investors) to fund projects that have a useful life longer than five years. Examples include building new schools, building improvements (HVAC, roof, and lighting), technology, school buses or equipment, to name a few. Bonds are repaid over a set period of time.

Community feedback about the 2014 bond proposal was taken into consideration and the committee reviewed district needs and developed an updated bond proposal that is focused on safe schools and overall efficiency of district operations.

Looking at the needs of the district, the committee recommends the bond be focused in these areas:

Source: Expect More Arizona

BONDS

=

BUILDINGS

Areas of Focus

MILLION

1

Maintenance

2

Transportation

3

Technology

MEDIAN HOUSE

$250,000

4

Athletics

MONTHLY

$8.78

YEARLY

$105.36

20 YEAR COMMITMENT

$2,107.20

MAINTENANCE

TRANSPORTATION

Renovate current schools so they are safe, efficient, and revitalized. Areas of focus are Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Asphalt, Flooring, Roofing, Playground Equipment depending on needs of school.

Buses will be used for out of town educational opportunities, special education services, and Thunderbolt transportation. LHHS transportation will be added if bond and override pass. District vehicles are used to facilitate transition services and work force development, professional development, and for district personnel who work on multiple campuses.

$31.785 M

$7.3 M

TECHNOLOGY

ATHLETICS

Technology will be modernized to support school functions and student safety. A focus on infrastructure has been made. Items include Phone, Intercom, Bell, Wireless Canopy at LHHS and Thunderbolt, District Accounting Software.

Athletics is the intersection between the community and education. Historically, it is a place of community pride and a place for student athletes to shine. Thunderbolt and LHHS tracks and fields are in disrepair. LHHS and Thunderbolt items include Field Turf, All-Weather Tracks, Added Fields for use in PE, athletics and by the community.

$4.388 M

$5.322 M $49.05 M TOTAL

INCLUSIVE OF BOND SALES COSTS

Why do both matter? We have listened to the community over the past eight months. We have learned that our community must invest in the talent that makes a difference in our children’s lives. We must also consider the age and state of our facilities, and improve the infrastructure that houses our community schools.

Citizens for Havasu Schools

OVERRIDE

+

BOND

Education is a people driven

Our community has the

enterprise. Our community’s

required buildings to service

ability to deliver students to

our student population of

be the work force of tomorrow

5,459 but our school district

depends on retaining and

has not had the appropriate

attracting educators and

capital improvement funds to

support staff.

keep these facilities current.

=

TOTAL INVESTMENT MONTHLY YEARLY

$21.99 $263.96

Based on an owner-occupied residence valued by the county assessor at $250,000

Operating more than three Last year, LHUSD lost 20% of the

quarters of a million square

teaching staff. This is a major

feet is expensive, but more than

red flag that must be addressed.

necessary when thinking about the numerous students that will pass through the halls over the next 20 years. We must start the transformation of our assets now, and prepare future leaders for tomorrow.

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015/2016, LHUSD HAS $136.9 MILLION IN BONDING CAPACITY. CURRENTLY, WE HAVE $0 IN OUTSTANDING BONDS.

Engagement with the community over the last 9 months has been insightful in learning what the community values. We implore the school board to concentrate on four key areas as we move through this process. Citizens for Havasu Schools committee recommends the following: 1

Partner with Citizens for Havasu Schools to create clear and concise bond expenditures

2

Community partnership and engagement

3

Prioritize local contractors

4

Return unused bond funds

1

Citizens for Havasu Schools will hire a consultant to strategically structure these expenditures to bring this proposal to transparent “Line Item Levels” so the community can understand the work that went into this effort and its benefits.

2

We often see community support shown through generous donations. These funding measures will not discourage the positive engagement of our community, but strengthen the ties that have encouraged partnership. LHUSD needs to create more opportunities for community engagement and philanthropic efforts.

3

Partner with Colorado River Building Industry Association (CRBIA) to hold semi-annual classes on how to bid for local work.

4

We propose that any funding leftover from the bond be returned to home owners.

We are a group of Havasu citizens concerned with ensuring that Lake Havasu City has the best education possible preschool through college.

EDUCATION COMMITTEE Adam Pakes Andrea Helart Andrew Campbell Brady Krueger Christine Simmons Danielle Alfandre David Young Denise Miner Dick & Betty Rounds Eileen Johnson James Gray James Porter Jamie Festa-Daigle Jann Woods Jerri Bracamonte Jesse Francoeur Jim Liesen John Masden Kimberley Krueger

Lisa Krueger Lisa Riddle Marcia Cox Mike Bonney Nello Ruscitti Nichole Cohen Paula Norby Sandy Robbins Shannon Williams Shawna Schneikart Stephanie Dieringer Stephanie Lueras Steve Greeley Tara Thompson Tatum Bracamonte Tonya Krueger Traceye Jones Vijette Saari Wendy Moore