TU HONORS NATIVE AMERICANS
KYRENE TEACHER CONTRACTS CAUTIOUS
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From Uptown to Downtown, covering Chandler like the sun.
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An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE This Week
COMMUNITY .......... 23 Hamilton sophomore helps keep teachers safe.
BUSINESS ................... 26
Bowling-billiards venue coming to Chandler.
March 7, 2021
Kyrene, CUSD tops in classroom spending BY PAUL MARYNIAK Arizonan Executive Editor and HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
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wo of the three school districts serving northern Chandler spent more on classroom instruction in 201920 than other districts their size and the statewide average, according to the state Auditor General’s annual report on school spending. Chandler Uni�ied and Kyrene school districts exceeded their counterparts and the state average in instruction spending and registered administrative costs well below
comparably sized districts and the average for all districts. Tempe Union High School District, on the other hand, was different. While its classroom spending per pupil was higher than districts with comparable enrollment, it was below the statewide average. And Tempe Union’s administrative costs per pupil were far above that of similar-size districts and the state average. While Chandler Uni�ied was red-�lagged audit for per-square-foot operations costs and Kyrene red-�lagged for square footage operational costs per pupil, Tempe Union was red-�lagged in three areas. The AG said Tempe Union’s administra-
tive costs per pupil were not only higher that same-sized districts and the state average but so too were its food service and square footage operational costs per pupil. Overall, Arizona schools continue to increase the amount of each dollars spent on instruction. But it’s still less than in 2001 when the state began to monitor this metric. The average school system spent 54.9 percent of its cash on instruction last academic year. That includes teachers, aides, substitutes, general instructional supplies, �ield trips and athletics. That �igure does not paint the whole picture.
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Panel recommends $272M Hoping for normal Chandler bond election BY KEVIN REAGAN Arizonan Staff Writer
GETOUT ..................... 30 Z'Tejas spices up Chandler dining scene.
NEWS .................................... 03 COMMUNITY .......................23 BUSINESS ............................. 26 OPINION .............................. 29 GET OUT .............................. 30 CLASSIFIEDS .........................32
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citizens committee has recommended that Chandler slate a bond election for $272 million in capital improvements across the city. After a seven-month process evaluating the city’s needs, the committee of seven residents released a list of 52 infrastructure projects it thinks could be funded by asking voters for new bond money. The committee is recommending $73 million for recreational projects, $80 million for public safety needs, $33 million for maintaining public facilities and $85 million for street improvements. Authorizing this amount of spending would not result in Chandler having to raise primary or secondary property taxes, according to the com-
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Saul and Lupe Solis of Chandler are like many seniors these days, hoping vaccines will help them regain the normality lost to the pandemic a year ago. For the story, see page 18. (Kiersten Moss)
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