Proposition · every Arizona voter

Proposition 320Large school districts must spend at least 60% of operating money on direct instruction

Law referred by the Legislature: Proposition 320, referred to voters by the Legislature as SCR 1032 (2026). Passes with a majority of the votes cast on it, and takes effect when the Governor proclaims the result (Arizona Constitution, Article IV, Part 1, Section 1 ). The separate 60% rule is for measures that approve a tax, which this proposal does not do.

INCOMPLETE. Still open on this page: (1) The official ballot wording below is copied word for word from the Secretary of State's ballot language, but the YES and NO lines and the summary above it are ours, from the Legislative Council analysis and the pamphlet arguments read through a summary tool, which paraphrases. (2) Passing vote and later changes are now sourced: majority of the votes cast (Arizona Constitution, Article IV, Part 1, Section 1) and the Proposition 105 notice in the 2026 Publicity Pamphlet, which says changes to a voter-approved law must further its purpose and need three-fourths of each chamber, or another vote of the people. (3) The "Today" column is our reading of the official "no" statement ("keeps the current law"), not checked against the current statutes. (4) Cost to the state: no cost estimate found. (5) The reasons for and against are the named arguments printed in the pamphlet; statistics inside them are the writers' claims and we have not checked them. No claim check has been done. (6) Campaign committees and campaign money were not looked up. (7) We did not read the full text of the measure.

Official ballot language (PDF): Secretary of State ballot language (PDF)

In plain words

This adds section 15-917 to Arizona law. It covers each school district with at least 7,500 students, or that runs a school in a county with at least 500,000 people. Those districts would have to spend at least 60% of their "operational spending" on "direct instructional expenses". The state Auditor General would define both terms. A district under 60% would have to raise its share by at least half a percentage point each year starting in 2027-28 until it complies. If it does not comply, the state Department of Education would cut its Classroom Site Fund money by 25% for each year of noncompliance, up to 100% after four years, unless a waiver is granted. Money not paid out would go to districts that comply the next school year. (azleg.gov (Arizona Legislature) )

Before and after

Question	Today (our reading of the official NO statement)	If YES wins
Required share of operating money spent on direct instruction	No such requirement (current budget laws stay)	At least 60% for districts with 7,500+ students or in counties of 500,000+ people
Who defines "direct instruction" and "operating spending"	Not applicable	The state Auditor General
What happens to a district that falls short	Not applicable	Must raise its share each year; Classroom Site Fund money cut 25% for each year of noncompliance, up to 100%, unless waived

From the ballot language, the Legislative Council analysis and the pamphlet: see (azleg.gov (Arizona Legislature) )

Example

Illustration only (our math, numbers made up): a district with $100 million in operational spending would have to spend at least $60 million of it on direct instruction. (azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State) )

Biggest change

Districts with 7,500 or more students (or in counties of 500,000 or more people) must spend at least 60% of operational spending on direct instruction. source: azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
Districts that fail the compliance requirements (not just fall below 60% while following the ramp) lose 25% of their Classroom Site Fund money for each year of noncompliance, up to 100%, unless a waiver is granted. source: azleg.gov (Arizona Legislature)

Who it affects most: Large school districts, their teachers and staff who are not counted as direct instruction, and the students they serve. Charter schools are not named in the files we read.

Cost to the state: Unknown. The Legislative Council analysis text we read has no fiscal section. Opponents argue the cut would be 25% of Classroom Site Fund money each year (their reading of the penalty).

Our plain-words summary. Every line points to its source.

What your vote means

YES

Large school districts must reach spending of at least 60% of their operating money on direct instruction as the Auditor General defines it, on a ramp that starts in 2027-28 (at least half a percentage point more each year). A district that fails the compliance requirements, not one that is still below 60% while following its ramp, loses 25% of its Classroom Site Fund money for each year of noncompliance, subject to limited waivers.

Nothing changes: current laws on school district budgets stay.

Our one-line summary of the official YES and NO statements in the Secretary of State's ballot language; the official statements, word for word, are under "Official ballot wording" below.

Why people want it, and why others object

Why this is on the ballot

The Legislature put this on the ballot.

The bill is Senate Concurrent Resolution 1032 (2026). It adds section 15-917 to the Arizona Revised Statutes. source: azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
The pamphlet's Proposition 105 notice says changes to a voter-approved law must further its purpose and need three-fourths of each chamber, or another vote of the people. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)

Why supporters want it

Victor Riches, Goldwater Institute: school money should go to classrooms, not administration; he says the classroom share has fallen to about 52% over 20 years and cites examples of spending he calls waste (his figures). source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
Kimberly Miller, Arizona Women of Action: the 60% rule would bring more resources and competitive pay for teachers and better use of tax dollars. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)

Why opponents object

Daniel Adelman, past executive director of the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest: costs such as air conditioning, utilities and bus repairs do not count as instruction, so poorer districts with older buildings would be penalized. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
Jill Humpherys, Gilbert Public Schools board member: her district spends 57% in the classroom; she says the 7,500-student threshold hits district schools while large charter schools are exempt. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
Chuck Essigs: special education services such as speech therapy and school psychology are not counted as instruction, so districts with more special education students would face the biggest cuts. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
State Sens. Mitzi Epstein and Lauren Kuby: it would undo the Classroom Site Fund voters created in 2001 for teacher pay, and the narrow definition of instruction is set by one appointee (the Auditor General). source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
Rich Nickel, Education Forward Arizona: penalizing districts for operating costs will not fix weak reading, math and graduation results. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
William Graham, school nurse: cuts to nursing and counseling would hurt student health and learning. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
Twenty-eight arguments against are printed in the pamphlet. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)

Who backs each side

For: Goldwater Institute and Arizona Women of Action (the two arguments printed). Campaign committees and campaign money for this proposition were not looked up (INCOMPLETE). source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
Against: Education Forward Arizona, Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest (past director), Rural Arizona Action, League of Women Voters of Arizona, Mi Familia Vota and school board members, among 28 arguments. Campaign committees and campaign money for this proposition were not looked up (INCOMPLETE). source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)

In each side's own words where we could find them, quoted or summarized with a link to the source. We don't endorse either side.

What you will see on your ballot

Official ballot wording, word for word (tap to open)

The official ballot title, word for word from the Secretary of State's ballot language file .

REFERRED TO THE PEOPLE BY THE LEGISLATURE RELATING TO SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGETS
OFFICIAL TITLE
AMENDING TITLE 15, CHAPTER 9, ARTICLE 1, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES BY ADDING SECTION 15-917.
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE
REQUIRES CERTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SPEND AT LEAST SIXTY PERCENT OF THEIR OPERATIONAL SPENDING ON DIRECT INSTRUCTIONAL EXPENSES AS DEFINED BY THE AUDITOR GENERAL; REDUCES CERTAIN STATE FUNDING FOR NON-COMPLIANT DISTRICTS.

A “yes” vote shall have the effect of: (1) requiring school districts with 7,500 or more students in any county or that operate in a county with 500,000 or more people to spend at least 60% of their operational spending on direct instructional expenses; (2) requiring the state Auditor General to define “operational spending” and “direct instructional expenses”; (3) requiring non-compliant school districts to gradually adjust their spending each year until they are in compliance; and (4) requiring the state Department of Education to reduce funding from the state Classroom Site Fund by 25% each year for non-compliant districts, subject to limited waivers that the state Superintendent of Public Instruction may authorize.
A “no” vote shall have the effect of maintaining the current laws governing school district budgets.

Copied word for word from the Secretary of State's ballot language PDF (2026-Ballot-Language-English-2026-0819.pdf), page 8. The Secretary of State's file has no separate question line; it prints the official title, the descriptive title, and a YES statement and a NO statement, shown here in that order.

Latest news

Recent reporting from a range of outlets, newest first. We link to it; we don't endorse it.

No articles collected yet for this measure.

Full text of the measure

The Secretary of State's ballot language file prints the descriptive title and the YES and NO statements. The full text of the resolution is on the Legislature's website (azleg.gov, SCR 1032, 2026 session); we have not read it. Read it in the Secretary of State ballot language (PDF) .

We link to analysis from several sources; we don't endorse it.