As parents of Higley Unified students, we know that investments in our kids are the most important we can make. With just days left until Tuesday’s override elections, we’re urging everyone to get out and vote YES on the HUSD override.
Our experiences at Cooley Early Childhood Development Center, Coronado, Chaparral, Cooley Middle School, and Williams Field High School have been nothing short of fantastic. Teachers and staff are deeply invested in students’ success. From hands-on classroom learning, to the front-desk staff who remember our children by name, and the administrators who greet families curbside every morning, the commitment to students is clear. Our children are confident and happy, and we are thankful for the kind and caring professionals who work hard for them every day.
HUSD is, by all measures, an outstanding school district. It has better passing percentages in math, English Language Arts, and science than the statewide average and peer districts, and we have excellent operational efficiency. HUSD has only one administrator for every 71 students — far better than the state average of one administrator for every 60 students.
Passage of the November 4 override is critical to sustaining this excellence. It will raise salaries to attract and retain quality educators, keep class sizes small, protect programs for students with special needs, and maintain elementary specials such as art, music, library, and PE. The override will ensure clean, safe, and up-to-date campuses where children can learn, grow, and thrive.
If the override fails to pass, some of our district’s most important offerings will be at risk. Programs such as elementary band and orchestra, art, music, library, and specialized positions could be consolidated or cut. Free full-day kindergarten could disappear — discouraging young families from moving into our district and exacerbating existing budget challenges. Unique programs, including early language learning and the Mandarin Chinese Dual Immersion program are also at risk.
Brain development science shows that these at-risk programs are critical for our students. Music helps build connections in the brain, art allows expression and play, and library classes develop literacy and media skills. Often, specials are students and teachers’ favorite part of the day. If they lose these programs, they will lose a major factor that makes them excited to go to school each day.
Well-paid, qualified teachers are also essential. Research shows that increasing teacher salaries directly improves student achievement, lowers dropout rates, and promotes educational equity. Well-paid teachers are more likely to stay in their positions, providing stability and experienced instruction to our children year after year. If we lose teachers to better-paying districts and class sizes balloon, our children will lose the personal attention that they need to thrive.
As we approach Election Day, we urge all of our neighbors to think about what this override means for our children, who are the future leaders of our communities. Strong public schools benefit everyone. Communities with excellent schools enjoy higher property values, lower crime rates, more civic involvement, and a stronger local economy. Local businesses thrive, retirees benefit, homeschool families benefit, and broader neighborhoods benefit.
Let’s show that we value education and are willing to stand behind our children’s futures. It may be too late to mail your ballot, but it is not too late to vote. Voters can cast ballots in person or drop them off at a local election center by 7 pm on November 4 — making their voices heard and protecting our collective investment in the future of our community.