Grand Canyon Times

State schools chief Tom Horne has called on the legislature to pass an emergency bill to ensure employees of the financially troubled Isaac Elementary School District receive their pay this week. Horne addressed the State Board of Education, discussing the release of approximately $6 million in previously reverted Covid relief funds designated for the district.

Horne noted that since these federal funds were just released today and require processing, they will not be available in time for tomorrow’s district payroll. The County has so far declined to commit to making payroll payments. He is urging state lawmakers to pass emergency legislation instructing the County to use advanced payments of basic state aid for payroll purposes.

"The release of the federal dollars won’t come in time to make tomorrow’s payroll, but the legislature is meeting to come up with an emergency bill," Horne stated. "That bill would instruct the County to advance basic state aid funds and use them for salaries. The County has indicated they will use any funds to pay off debts and not for salaries, which means the whole district would collapse and 5,000 students would not get the education to which they are entitled. If the legislature orders the County to pay salaries, they will have to. If that does pass on an emergency basis, we will immediately send an advance on our basic state aid to the County to pay payroll."

He further added, "In the long run, the situation is good because they have a lot of property and buildings that they can sell, so we just need to get through this emergency. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the legislation would pass, and the Governor will sign it today."