NE Valley Times

Arizona State Sen. Carine Werner (R-Scottsdale) said that 'gross financial mismanagement by administrators' caused the financial collapse of Isaac Elementary School District (IESD) in Phoenix.

"My heart goes out to the teachers and staff of Isaac Elementary School District, many of whom are already living paycheck to paycheck and are now fearing the money isn't going to hit their bank accounts come pay day because of the gross financial mismanagement by administrators within this district," said Werner, vice-chair of the Senate Education Committee. "We are working on solutions to ensure the children of these schools are not disrupted in their learning environments and those responsible are held accountable."

IESD has been reported to be over $12 million in debt, with some sources indicating the deficit could be as high as $15 million or more. This financial mismanagement led to the district being unable to meet its payroll and other operational costs, reported Fox 10 Phoenix.

Due to the crisis, the Arizona State Board of Education placed the Isaac School District under receivership on January 14, 2025. The U.S. Department of Education has agreed to provide $6 million in federal relief funds to assist with immediate payroll needs. 

The superintendent of the district, Mario Ventura, resigned amid the financial crisis, taking responsibility for the situation. Additionally, there have been calls from educators for the entire school board to resign, reported ABC 15. 

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) has asked for emergency legislation to ensure staff are paid, while Attorney General Kris Mayes (D-Ariz.) asked Maricopa County to continue payments to the district to prevent immediate disruptions.

Members of the Arizona House Majority Leadership sent a letter yesterday to Mayes requesting a criminal investigation into the school district's financial collapse. 

The letter said the leaders were “shocked to learn” that Mayes said she has “no intention of investigating this school district, claiming that there is no evidence of warranting an investigation."

“Your statements defending the school district’s actions strongly suggest that you have already made up your mind without reviewing any facts,” said the letter. “Notably, you have shown no hesitation whatsoever to investigate any potential violations of the law when the bad actors involved are affiliated with Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program.”

Werner was elected to the Arizona State Senate representing District 4 in the general election on November 5, 2024, and assumed office on January 13, 2025. Prior to her election, she served as an at-large member of the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board, beginning her term on January 1, 2023. Werner is a small business owner and resides in Scottsdale with her husband and three children.