PHX Reporter

Arizona State Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R-Bolick) said that "government incompetence has victimized" parents, students, and teachers of financially-collapsed Isaac Elementary School District (IESD) in Phoenix.

"Government incompetence has victimized the parents, students and teachers of this district. I look forward to reforming this broken financial system through legislation, and I encourage parents to closely examine their school choice options to get their kids into a stable educational setting that guarantees both academic excellence and fiscal responsibility," said Bolick, chair of the Senate Regulatory Affairs & Government Accountability Committee.

"Arizona taxpayers will not be on the hook for this corruption, and if a criminal investigation is necessary, I'm hopeful Arizona's Attorney General will take immediate action to bring justice to the families impacted by this maladministration," Bolick said.

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.”

Bolick was appointed to the Arizona State Senate representing District 2 on July 21, 2023, following the resignation of State Sen. Steve Kaiser (R). She was elected to a full term in the general election on November 5, 2024. Prior to her Senate service, Bolick served in the Arizona House of Representatives for District 20 from 2019 to 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Syracuse University and resides in Phoenix.