What Is Proposition 320?

Proposition 320 is an intentionally complicated ballot measure Arizona voters will vote on in November 2026. If passed, it would require school districts within the three major counties - Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal - as well as any district over 7,500 students to eventually spend at least 60% of their operational spending on “direct instructional expenses,” as defined by the Arizona Auditor General. Districts below the requirement would have to increase that percentage over time or could face steep penalties to their Classroom Site Fund dollars for failing to comply.

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But there's an important distinction voters need to understand:​

60% direct instruction does NOT mean 60% classroom spending.

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Classroom spending includes multiple categories that support students and learning. Direct instruction is only one category within classroom spending.

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That distinction is at the heart of why Proposition 320 could have significant consequences for Arizona students and schools.

 

​​Classroom Spending ≠ Direct Instruction

Prop 320 does NOT require schools to spend 60% in the classroom.

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“Classroom spending” is a broader category that includes multiple expenses that support students and learning.

Direct instruction is only one subcategory within classroom spending.

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That means a school district could already spend more than 60% supporting classrooms and students and still fall below Prop 320's 60% direct instruction requirement.

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What Could Fall Outside The 60%?

Many of the people and services students rely on every day may not count toward Prop 320's direct instruction requirement, including:

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• School transportation

  • Maintenance, mileage, gas, etc.​

• Safety and security

  • SRO's, locks, fences, etc. ​

• Counselors and certain student-support personnel​​​​

  • Social workers, nurses, etc.​

• Building maintenance and custodial services

  • HVAC, repairs, etc.​

• Certain special education services and personnel

  • Speech language pathologists, behavioral therapists, etc.​

• Math and literacy coaches

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These services support the classroom. But that doesn't necessarily mean they count as direct instruction.

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PROP 320 Doesn't Give Schools More Money, It Punishes Teachers.

Prop 320 does not provide additional funding to help districts meet the 60% requirement.

For districts below 60%, meeting the mandate will mean shifting existing resources or forcing districts to slash other services students rely on.

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And cutting those services does not guarantee more money will go to teachers.

 

If a district misses the mark by a single dollar, their Classroom Site Funding is cut. The Classroom Site Fund is for teachers, and it supplies an average of 20% of a teacher's salary.

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Arizona already ranks among the lowest states in the nation for public school funding. Proposition 320 doesn’t give schools more money. It restricts how they can spend the funding they already have, taking away local control from school boards and communities that know their students’ needs best.

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Students Need More Than “Direct Instruction”

A student needs a teacher, but that's not all they need to succeed.

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They need a way to get to school. A safe campus. A clean, functioning classroom. Some need a counselor or specialized support. Teachers themselves rely on coaches, specialists and other resources to meet students' needs.

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That's classroom support. That's student support. And not all of it is considered direct instruction.

Prop 320 reduces the complex needs of Arizona students to a spending percentage.

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Arizona students are more than a percentage.

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