PHOENIX — The Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) voted on June 4 to approve a measure that accepts grant funding for 15 school resource officer (SRO) positions across various campuses.
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The board voted 5-2 in favor of accepting the grant funding. While some board members rejected the money, many administrators urged the board to accept it.
The debate on grant funding for more school resource officers has been going on for years. In April of 2024, 12News Investigative Team Reporter Joe Dana reported how State Superintendent Tom Horne stood with current and former PXU educators to call out the district’s rejection of an SRO grant in March 2024. That vote was also 5-2, but against it.
On Thursday, Board member Signa Oliver commented on how devastated she was by the deadly Maryvale High School stabbing last year and expressed a wish to keep students safe.
Board member Ceyshe Napa asked why the district is not prioritizing more social workers and counselors instead of cops on campus.
North High School near 7th Street and Thomas Road has had 72 911 emergency calls, according to the school’s principal, who testified during the board meeting. The time frame of the 72 911 emergency calls is unknown.
In late January, PXU and site administrators worked collaboratively to apply for the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) School Safety Program (SSP) Grant.
According to PXU, the teams developed the required narratives, compiled supporting data and identified campus-specific safety and student support needs.
PXU administration looked at the district’s small and specialty schools based on geographic location and campus size to ensure equitable access to grant-funded support positions.
As the priority for campuses, PXU applied for SROs.
The district said the completed SSP Grant application was submitted to ADE on March 6, way before the end-of-March submission deadline.
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On May 19, ADE notified PXU that they were awarded 15 SRO positions through the grant.
“The award includes eleven (11) SRO positions designated for each of the District’s comprehensive campuses and four (4) SRO positions designated for the District’s paired small and specialty school combinations,” a background of the agenda item shows. “The awarded positions will enhance campus safety, strengthen relationships between students and law enforcement, and provide additional support for proactive school safety efforts throughout the District. “
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