A Superior Court ruling on July 11 could mean additional funding for Arizona school district budgets to the tune of $317 million.

Back in 2000, Arizona voters approved Proposition 301, implementing a sales tax with funds intended to benefit statewide schools, specifically in the areas of base salary for staff, performance pay and site funds.

Per the original language of the Proposition, per-pupil funding provided by the sales tax was to be adjusted for inflation annually. Since 2009, that has not been the case, with the Legislature opting to keep Prop 301 funding at the same level.

According to the recent ruling from Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Karen Cooper, however, that could be changing soon. Cooper’s ruling states that Arizona schools are entitled to $317 million for the 2014-15 school year based on inflation, with an additional $2.5 billion potentially added over the next five years as back pay. Cooper will hold hearings to determine the feasibility of making those additional payments.

While many claim that Cooper’s decision will cut a hole into other areas of Arizona’s budget, some, like the Arizona Education Association, feel that the money belonged to statewide school districts in the first place.

“This ruling comes at a time when the state is raising expectations on public education and this court ruling will provide the funding for the support and resources our teachers and schools desperately need and have found sorely lacking from the state,” said AEA President Andrew Morrill.

“Judge Cooper’s ruling ensures that future generations of Arizona’s children will be guaranteed the education funding voters approved when they passed Proposition 301 in 2000.”

Locally, Fountain Hills Unified School District Tom Lawrence said that he’s hopeful, but not yet convinced that Arizona schools will receive the missing funds.

“There are a number of unknowns right now, so we’re basically in a wait and see mode,” Lawrence explained.

“The State could certainly appeal Judge Cooper’s ruling, and the State Legislature could also enter into some sort of settlement negotiation with the plaintiffs to resolve the litigation.”

Left as is, Cooper’s ruling could mean an additional $279 in funding per student for Arizona districts. For FHUSD, that could equate to around $390,000 added to the base level for the annual budget.

“The guidance we’re getting is that we shouldn’t do anything that’s concrete until everything is resolved,” Lawrence added.

“There’s a lot left to be decided. I’d be hard-pressed to say that this gets us back up to where we should be. We’ve suffered with the recession, as has everybody. But I think it will allow districts to continue to maintain programs and cuts wouldn’t be as severe as they have been in the past.

“Hopefully we’d be able to stick those dollars into the classroom, where they belong…It’s not anywhere near where we should be funded, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.”