Arizona Votes for Public Schools 🎉

This week brought a rollercoaster of emotions as we watched ballots return across Arizona carrying the fates of local school funding in 36 school districts across the state. As the dust settles, we are celebrating that 65% of bond and override measures across the state passed. Our volunteers worked incredibly hard to knock doors, call and text voters, and get out the vote for Arizona kids, and it’s critical to celebrate these victories. Every single one of these wins means that students will receive a better education — from updated technology for learning, safer buildings and buses, to better-paid teachers and staff, more resources and extracurriculars. It also means districts will have to make fewer cuts to programs and positions, saving art, music, sports, STEM, and more! This work matters. Our students matter. And they deserve so much more.

🥳 Congratulations to the following districts for passing: Arlington (override), Casa Grande ESD (bond), Chandler Unified (bond and override), Clarkdale-Jerome (Override), Cottonwood/Oak Creek (override), Deer Valley Unified (override), Dysart Unified (override), Flowing Wells (bond), Fowler (DAA), Isaac (bond and override), Kyrene (override), Mingus Union (override), Murphy (override), Phoenix El (DAA and override), Phoenix Union (DAA and override), Roosevelt (override), Sunnyside (bond), Superior (override), Tempe El (bond), Tucson Unified (override), West MEC (bond), Wilcox (override)

⭐ Knockstars & Callstars! We want to give a huge shout-out to all of the volunteers who stepped up — and a special congratulations to everyone who topped 100 knocks or calls in October:

😞 Losses devastate: While we are celebrating these wins wholeheartedly, we also want to express our condolences to districts that were unsuccessful in passing their local funding measures. We know the devastating impact this has on students and educators, and we promise to continue fighting alongside you.

🧑‍🏫 Band aids on gaping wounds: We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that local bond and override measures should not be necessary in our state. If the Arizona legislature adequately resourced public schools instead of funding them at 49th in the nation, districts would not have to resort to temporary, stopgap measures from local taxpayers. If the legislature adequately funded school facilities, districts wouldn’t have to go out for bonds to ensure safety and modern learning spaces — instead, the courts have stated the legislature is $7 BILLION behind in funding school facilities since 2000.

Voter Registration Squad!

We are ready to WIN BIG IN ARIZONA IN 2026. But — and it’s a big “but” — our voter registration numbers are not where they should be in order to effect the wins we need to achieve to ensure adequately funded community schools, well-paid educators, and robust resources for classrooms. Turning Point USA is spending millions to register MAGA voters across Arizona, and we need to step up and compete. We don’t have millions — but we do have people. Earnest people who yearn for change and want to make their communities better. YOU!

The ask: Join our Voter Registration Volunteer Squad today! We have 4 upcoming trainings to ensure you have what you need to partner with other volunteers in your community to register voters wherever you’re comfortable — at libraries, music festivals, food fairs, and so much more. Person-to-person contact is the most effective way to register voters, and that human connection helps people understand the critical importance of casting their vote. You can be a connector and a force for good – click here and join us! (find out more below)

💥📋Register Voters in Your Community! Join us for a virtual training to learn the ins and outs of registering voters in your community! No experience necessary to get started in making a difference and helping neighbors use their vote and their voice!

💥☎️ Register Voters over the Phone! Want to help register voters? Join us for a virtual phone bank every Thursday from 4-5:30 pm to help eligible voters get registered! Training is provided — all experience levels are welcome!

Stop the Extremist Civics Takeover

👀 Keep Partisan Indoctrination Out of Schools: The Trump administration’s US Dept. of Education (US ED) announced a new MAGA-driven “patriotic education” curriculum initiative that it plans to force into classrooms across America. This is being pushed by a civics education coalition of more than 40 partner groups, all of which are closely aligned with the president’s MAGA, extremist movement — including PragerU, Moms for Liberty, the Heritage Foundation, Turning Point USA, ALEC, the Goldwater Institute, and Stephen Miller’s American First Legal. Now, US ED says it will provide discretionary grants to schools that promote ‘patriotic’ education.”

Our supporters sent hundreds of emails to the Dept. of Education over the past month, demanding a stop to this program. The time for public comment is over, but this fight is not. US ED is now reviewing public comments and will then forward the new regulation to Congress for final approval. Any member of Congress can then introduce a joint resolution of disapproval, through which a simple majority vote can defeat the proposed regulation. We must speak up NOW so our Arizona members of Congress know that we reject this MAGA civics takeover!

💥 Use this easy NEW tool to send a letter to your members of Congress demanding they take action on this critical issue: sosarizona.org/no-civics-takeover

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL CONGRESS

Tell the US Dept. of Education:
Restore Special Education Cuts NOW!

Speak up! Save Our Schools Arizona, along with a broad coalition of disability, civil rights, and public education advocacy organizations from across the country, signed on to a letter from the American Association of People with Disabilities demanding that the US Dept. of Ed immediately reverse the layoffs – but we need your help.

We must all demand the restoration of these positions, as well as full IDEA funding and legal protections for students with disabilities. Your members of Congress and the US ED need to hear from the American public.

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL!

Join Us!

💥📚 Book Club! Join us virtually on November 16 from 4-5 pm to discuss “The Privateers: How Billionaires Created A Culture War and Sold School Vouchers” by Josh Cowen! No pressure to finish the book — just come for the conversation. Let’s read, reflect, and build power for Arizona’s public schools! Sign up to get the Zoom info!

Connect with Voters through Canvassing! Learn all about deep canvassing and how to have meaningful conversations with swing voters. Deep canvassing focuses on listening and connecting with voters to understand their concerns, questions, and perspectives on public education. Sign up for one of our interactive virtual trainings so you can be part of this incredible team of changemakers!

💥🎉Find even more SOSAZ events! There are so many ways to get informed and involved and there are opportunities with SOSAZ almost every day of the week. Check out our Mobilize webpage to find virtual or in-person, calling voters or knocking on voters doors, getting to know other public education supporters in your area -- and more!

FIND MORE HERE

Support SOSAZ

Our newsletters don’t write themselves! Support our work by becoming a paid subscriber to Save Our Schools Arizona’s Substack. A monthly or annual donation of any amount helps to keep the lights on at the Weekly Education Report so we can provide you with the latest news in education week after week.

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HELP US FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION

Your contribution will help us organize across Arizona to defend our students, educators, and public schools. Your donation to SOSAZ’s Public Education Defense Fund supports our efforts to:

✅ Organize in every community across the state

✅ Inform communities about how they can support and defend our public schools

✅ Fight to fully and equitably fund our local public schools

✅ Stop harmful and unaccountable universal vouchers

✅ Recruit, train, and elect public education champions running for local school boards

✅ Promote policies that protect students from hateful attacks, protect public educators’ freedom to teach accurate and truthful science and history in a supportive environment, and stop policies that hurt our most vulnerable students

✅ Support school boards and districts against attacks on equity and racial justice initiatives

DONATE TO SUPPORT OUR WORK TODAY!

Contact Us

[email protected]

Save Our Schools Arizona
PO Box 28370
Tempe, AZ 85285
United States

Paid for by Save Our Schools Arizona. Not authorized by any candidate.

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