Chandler Unified sets proposed 2025–26 budget, announces Nov. 4 bond and override election; new semiconductor CTE added

The Chandler Unified School District governing board on Wednesday approved the district’s proposed expenditure budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and the district announced it will ask voters on Nov. 4, 2025 to continue the existing 15% maintenance-and-operations override and to consider a bond measure.

At the June 25 meeting, Superintendent Frank Narducci and Chief Financial Officer Mrs. Barry presented the proposed budget and a timeline for public review. Barry said the district must publish the proposed budget and hold a required public hearing before adopting a final budget. The district’s proposed budget covers July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 and will be subject to the required 10-day public-notice period before adoption; the board scheduled the public hearing in July.

Key financial items and election notice: Narducci told the board the governing board had called a special bond-and-override election for Nov. 4, 2025. The existing 15% maintenance-and-operations override helps fund safety personnel, class sizes, teacher pay and specialized programming; bond proceeds would fund building maintenance, buses, furniture and technology. The Truth in Taxation notice included an adjacent-ways request that the district described as a separate tax line; the meeting included a discussion of how that request would translate to dollars per $100,000 of assessed value.

Budget changes: Mrs. Barry summarized that the district’s aggregated budget declined from the previous year largely because COVID-related federal grants and carryover have been spent down. Highlights contained in the proposed budget presentation included:

- A projected 2% state increase in base funding (the governor’s and legislature’s proposals included similar increases), offset in part by an estimated loss of roughly 850 students for maintenance-and-operations funding; Barry said the 2% equated to about $5.4 million for the district while the enrollment loss reduced funding by about $4.3 million. - A roughly $7 million decrease in the maintenance-and-operations budget and about a $12 million decrease in capital budgets compared with the previous year, largely from drawdown of carryover and completed capital projects. - A reported average teacher salary of about $68,899 on the proposed-cover sheet, which Barry said reflects steps and the 2% base increase adopted by meet-and-confer.

Other district updates: Narducci provided additional information — the 2025–26 semester will begin July 16, 2025; district websites were due to be redesigned for easier navigation; and Chandler Unified will open a new semiconductor career and technical education program at Hamilton High School, which Narducci described as a nation-first stand-alone semiconductor CTE program with industry and university partners.

Personnel and transitions: The board also used the meeting to formally recognize five longtime administrators who are retiring, including Dr. Craig Gilbert and Colleen Flannery. The district introduced several incoming principals and administrators, including Dr. Jason Barletta (CTA Liberty principal) and Dr. Kevin Mendiville (director of human resources), and Dr. Jessica Edgar was introduced in her new role as assistant superintendent for teaching and learning.

Why it matters: The proposed budget frames the district’s spending plan and the Nov. 4 election would decide local revenue that directly affects classroom services and capital projects. If approved, the maintenance-and-operations override would continue local funding for staff and programs; bond approval would provide money for capital repairs and technology purchases.

Next steps: The board voted to publish the proposed expenditure budget to meet state deadlines and scheduled the statutorily required public hearing and adoption vote in July. The district plans a public information effort over the summer to explain the proposed bond and override and to answer community questions.