The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Jim Byrne
Did you know that not all TUSD elementary schools have full-time arts or music teachers?
Many classroom teachers are now pulling double-duty as PE instructors or Fine Arts educators or lose valuable planning time needing to accompany their class during their “Specials.” Librarians are missing too. In most TUSD schools, Librarian Assistants (most making less than $20/hour) have replaced the full-time Librarians responsible for opening the world to our kids.
After nearly a decade of teaching Social Studies at Cholla High School, I became president of the Tucson Education Association in 2023. As I’ve visited TUSD schools across our city, I’ve heard the same stories of talented, hard-working educators struggling without the resources they need and our kids deserve.
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Prop. 414, the TUSD override is our chance to invest in Tucson’s future — and every voter needs to know the stakes.
Today, nearly a quarter of the funding for Tucson public schools comes from the federal government. With President Trump moving to shut down the Department of Education and Arizona’s legislature pushing to divert more taxpayer funding to private schools, we can’t rely on unstable sources of school funding anymore. We need local investments and a community commitment to the great public schools that most Tucson children attend.
As a dad, I dream about what robust preschool programs, full-time elementary arts and PE, and libraries full of new, exciting books would mean for our kids. As an educator, I know that our students benefit when teachers can focus on promoting literacy, promoting math and science, and supporting the social and emotional growth of their students. It’s not hard to imagine the benefits from more investments in our schools — both for the next generation of Tucsonans and for the city as we know it today.
Another important item that the override must address is compensation. Nearly 70% of our district’s Education Support professionals (including campus monitors, food service workers, and teaching assistants) make just a few dollars above minimum wage. Certified educators, saddled with student loans and paying out-of-pocket for pencils and school supplies, are leaving for jobs where they can make ends meet. We need to invest in our educators because their working conditions are the conditions where our children learn.
Arizona is routinely in the bottom five nationally for per-pupil spending. TUSD is currently last in our local market for average teacher salary and first-year teacher starting salary. This override is our chance to transform our schools into community institutions that meet the needs of our families and children. With well-rounded, holistic educational programs that focus on educating every child (without the burdensome regimen of excessive standardized testing and computer work), our students will grow — and Tucson will too.
It’s on us, Tucson. It’s time for the Schools Our Students Deserve. Let’s invest in our children now.
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Jim Byrne is president of the Tucson Education Association.
