Your 2025 Ballot: A Guide to School Bonds and Overrides
This November, 36 school districts across Arizona are going out for special bond, override, and budget increase measures. But what are “bonds” and “overrides”? With ballots already mailed out across the state, it’s more important now than ever for voters to educate themselves on the local ballot measures that fund our local public schools.
The Importance of School Funding Ballot Measures
While not as publicized, off-year elections contain lesser-known but critically important local measures that fund our local schools and other public services — and often pass or fail by a razor-thin margin. As local voters, we hold the power to ensure our communities prioritize kids and teachers by voting on these education funding ballot questions.
It’s no secret that Arizona ranks dead last in the nation for public school funding and resources, with an exceptionally high student-to-teacher ratio and some of the lowest teacher salaries nationwide. Local school districts statewide use education funding ballot measures to help make ends meet, typically funding teacher and counselor positions, school facility repairs, buses, technology, and safety improvements.
For Arizona’s local schools, this year’s election is extremely critical. Many districts are relying on the residents of their district to provide desperately needed funds, or they will face agonizing decisions around school closures, teacher and staff layoffs, and massive program cuts. Local parent/teacher groups and neighborhood committees have worked hard to put school funding measures before voters in 36 districts this November. In many cases, the ability of our neighborhood public schools to meet the needs of their students hinges on the success or failure of these local education measures.
What types of measures will I see on my ballot?
Local education measures fall into three basic categories: bonds and overrides. These are voter-approved initiatives that generate local tax revenue to fund projects and operations for local school districts or community colleges. The majority of these measures are continuations, meaning they are not new money or tax increases, but instead extensions of local bonds and overrides previously approved by voters.
Bonds: Bonds are essentially voter-authorized loans. Also called “capital funding measures,” bond money is typically used for tangible projects like building or renovating schools, updating school buses, or improving technology or safety. The funds are repaid over a set period of time. Bond money cannot be used to pay school employees.
Overrides: Overrides are used to fund people and/or programs. Also called “maintenance and operations (M&O) overrides” or “capital overrides,” these can be used for things like educator pay, extracurriculars, full-day kindergarten, playground equipment, books, sports, and the arts. Overrides generate additional funding for seven years, but that funding begins to sunset in the final two years. Many districts will ask voters to approve a renewal in year 4 or 5 of an override so schools can consistently hire and pay staff. If overrides are not renewed, the funding phases out — and program and staff cuts are typically made.
Why are my neighborhood schools asking for this funding?
Unfortunately, Arizona’s local public schools have been dramatically underfunded by the state legislature. Our state’s K-12 public school funding remains ranked last in the nation, and threats to K-12 funding at the federal level jeopardize school budgets even further.
Proper funding is essential to help our state’s students succeed. A 2023 study from the MIT Journal of Education, Finance and Policy found that funding has a dramatic and positive impact on student achievement. The study found that increased public school funding reduced the number of underperforming students by almost one-to-one. A 20% increase in per-pupil funding at underperforming schools reduced the number of below-average students in core subjects (math, English, social studies, and science) by 16-20% compared with a control group.
A recent paper by noted education researcher Eric Hanushek finds similar results: more funding leads to students staying in school longer and scoring higher on standardized tests. This is especially notable considering that Hanushek spent the last few decades arguing the opposite and has since changed his mind because of the overwhelming data.
Bond and override measures are critical tools that our communities can use to provide desperately needed basic resources for their neighborhood public schools – like teacher salaries, bus drivers, computers, basic building maintenance, and more.
Where does this money come from?
School districts use bonds and budget overrides to help bridge the gaps between the chronic underfunding from the state legislature and the cost of providing for the needs of their students. These local dollars come from the local property taxes of district residents, and never leave the local community, meaning the funds are entirely protected from statewide politicians, and cannot be used for charters or voucher-funded private schools. New measures can cost taxpayers around $100 a year — roughly a cup of coffee each month — to ensure local students are safe, learning, and thriving in their community schools.
I don't have school-aged kids. Why should I care?
Investment in public schools benefits everyone in the community, whether residents have children in public school or not. A study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that every additional $1 spent on neighborhood public schools results in a $20 increase in home values. This underscores the financial benefits of investing in quality public education to benefit both school children and local homeowners.
Don’t Forget to Vote!
Arizona kids are counting on us to support their schools! Don’t forget to mail back your ballot as soon as possible! All mail-in ballots must be put in the mail by October 28 — otherwise, you’ll have to return your ballot to a drop box or early vote center before or on Election Day, November 4.