Thread: Ajo students must prove Arizona residency

Ajo students must prove Arizona residency

by Craig Harris -
Aug. 22, 2010 09:21 PM
The Arizona Republic

For years, students living in Mexico crossed the border at Lukeville, boarded a bus and attended the tiny Ajo Unified School District.

But that will change Monday, when classes begin there in southwestern Arizona.

Following a crackdown by Arizona schools chief Tom Horne, students won't be allowed to board the bus unless their parents or guardians prove the children live in the district's boundaries and not in Mexico.

The school district has asked Pima County Schools, which provides the transportation, to confirm the residency of those living in "unorganized territories" and to give those students certificates. Ricardo Hernandez, chief financial officer for Pima County Schools, said a certificate is required to board the bus and that 48 have been issued.

Certificates were not required last year, when 86 students were on the roughly 38-mile trip from Lukeville to Ajo.

Horne, who is running for attorney general in Tuesday's primary election, had his office launch an investigation in 2004 after The Arizona Republic and CNN reported on the matter. The Arizona Department of Education began a new probe last year following new complaints.

Horne's office in May announced it was seeking $1.2 million from the Ajo Unified School District for allegedly using state funds to educate 105 students from Mexico since 2007.

Robert Dooley, Ajo schools superintendent, said the state investigation was flawed and that the district has found at least 60 of the students in question were legal residents.

Dooley said the district has been unable to prove at least 20 of the students were legal residents and that they have been removed from the school's enrollment records.

He said the district still is trying to determine the residency status of the other 25 students.

The controversy in Ajo coincides with the court battle between Arizona and the federal government over the state's tough illegal-immigration law.

A federal judge has put on hold key provisions of the law, which is being appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

However, the issue in Ajo isn't whether the students are in the country legally. It's where they live.

Illegal immigrants can attend Arizona public schools if they reside in the state.

But Horne said it's illegal to receive a free taxpayer-funded education if a student doesn't live in Arizona.

Dooley said his district has "raised the bar" on residency requirements and has offered to settle the case by paying the state $300,000, which likely would result in layoffs of four or five teachers.

The district laid off two teachers for the upcoming school year, and it expects to have 33 teachers for 450 to 475 students.

"For a little-bitty district, that's still a lot of money," Dooley said of the offer.

Dooley said the Department of Education rejected the district's offer and would settle for $700,000.

Horne declined to discuss the settlement negotiations with Ajo, saying that was an issue for attorneys from his office. He said that whatever the amount Ajo will pay, it will serve as a deterrent for other Arizona districts along the border that are willing to educate children from Mexico.

School districts receive state funds based on the number of students they have enrolled.

"If a school wants to do it without charging the state, that's fine with me," Horne said. "But I'm a fiduciary for the state."

Reach the reporter at craig.harris@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8478.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... z0xP83HFGB

HIP HIP HURRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

Ajo students must prove Arizona residency

by Craig Harris -
Aug. 22, 2010 09:21 PM
The Arizona Republic

For years, students living in Mexico crossed the border at Lukeville, boarded a bus and attended the tiny Ajo Unified School District.

But that will change Monday, when classes begin there in southwestern Arizona.

Following a crackdown by Arizona schools chief Tom Horne, students won't be allowed to board the bus unless their parents or guardians prove the children live in the district's boundaries and not in Mexico.

The school district has asked Pima County Schools, which provides the transportation, to confirm the residency of those living in "unorganized territories" and to give those students certificates. Ricardo Hernandez, chief financial officer for Pima County Schools, said a certificate is required to board the bus and that 48 have been issued.

Certificates were not required last year, when 86 students were on the roughly 38-mile trip from Lukeville to Ajo.

Horne, who is running for attorney general in Tuesday's primary election, had his office launch an investigation in 2004 after The Arizona Republic and CNN reported on the matter. The Arizona Department of Education began a new probe last year following new complaints.

Horne's office in May announced it was seeking $1.2 million from the Ajo Unified School District for allegedly using state funds to educate 105 students from Mexico since 2007.

Robert Dooley, Ajo schools superintendent, said the state investigation was flawed and that the district has found at least 60 of the students in question were legal residents.

Dooley said the district has been unable to prove at least 20 of the students were legal residents and that they have been removed from the school's enrollment records.

He said the district still is trying to determine the residency status of the other 25 students.

The controversy in Ajo coincides with the court battle between Arizona and the federal government over the state's tough illegal-immigration law.

A federal judge has put on hold key provisions of the law, which is being appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

However, the issue in Ajo isn't whether the students are in the country legally. It's where they live.

Illegal immigrants can attend Arizona public schools if they reside in the state.

But Horne said it's illegal to receive a free taxpayer-funded education if a student doesn't live in Arizona.

Dooley said his district has "raised the bar" on residency requirements and has offered to settle the case by paying the state $300,000, which likely would result in layoffs of four or five teachers.

The district laid off two teachers for the upcoming school year, and it expects to have 33 teachers for 450 to 475 students.

"For a little-bitty district, that's still a lot of money," Dooley said of the offer.

Dooley said the Department of Education rejected the district's offer and would settle for $700,000.

Horne declined to discuss the settlement negotiations with Ajo, saying that was an issue for attorneys from his office. He said that whatever the amount Ajo will pay, it will serve as a deterrent for other Arizona districts along the border that are willing to educate children from Mexico.

School districts receive state funds based on the number of students they have enrolled.

"If a school wants to do it without charging the state, that's fine with me," Horne said. "But I'm a fiduciary for the state."

Reach the reporter at craig.harris@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8478.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... z0xP83HFGB

well let Mexico put School on the town that they live In what they want the AMerican to pay for it

Aug 23, 2010

Students near Ariz. border must prove residency to board school bus

02:36 PM

School students in a small Arizona district near the Mexican border today were required for the first time to prove they live in the district and not in Mexico before boarding the school bus, The Arizona Republic reports.

For years, the newspaper says, students living in Mexico crossed the border at Lukeville and got on the bus for the 38-mile trip to attend the tiny Ajo Unified School district.

Before school opened this year, the school district asked Pima County Schools, which provides the transportation, to confirm the residency of those living in "unorganized territories" and to give those students certificates.

The newspaper says 86 students made the daily trek last year, when the certificate was not required. Forty-eight certificates of residency have been issued this year.

Illegal immigrants can attend Arizona public schools if they live in the state, the newspaper says, but cannot if they live elsewhere, such as in Mexico.
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http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... ool-bus-/1

Love how he says we will have to layoff 3-4 teachers to pay this settlement like we are supposed to feel bad. Those are 3-4 teachers that you shouldnt have had to begin with. Schools in Arizona are run like a small business and the students are the income generators to support there overhead and salaries on the backs of taxpayers. Its bad enough some of my tax dollars went to help pay for Micelle Obama to have a nice little vacation in Spain while I haven't been able to afford a vacation this year or to even take my boat out to the lake at all because I can't afford the gas to run it. It should be a crime for school districts to "knowingly allow students who don't even live in Arizona" to attend a public school and the school district claiming federal and state funds for that student. On top of collecting a reimbursement Mr. Horne, a lawyer himself, should be seeking criminal charges against the school superintendent. Funny how this was exposed in 2004 yet nothing happens until recently while he is in the middle of an election for Attorney General in Arizona. More political posturing that once everybody gets the political office they seek it will be business as usual.

State requiring So. AZ students to prove residency

Monday, August 23, 2010 10:38 am

Before students living in Lukeville on the Arizona border with Mexico can board a bus for school in Ajo (AH'-hoh), they must prove their Arizona residency.

Pima County Schools run the buses from Lukeville to Ajo. The Ajo Unified School District asked Pima County Schools to confirm state residency before students board buses for Ajo.

So far, 48 certificates of residency have been issued.

Certificates were not required last year, when 86 students made the nearly 40-mile daily bus trip from Lukeville to Ajo.

The state education department announced in May it was seeking $1.2 million from Ajo schools for allegedly using state funds to educate 105 students from Mexico since 2007.
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Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com

http://azstarnet.com/news/state-and-reg ... 6a16b.html

"The state education department announced in May it was seeking $1.2 million from Ajo schools for allegedly using state funds to educate 105 students from Mexico since 2007."


Horne was in charge of our schools in 2007 and not until this election year when he is running for a much higher office did he get off his duff and do something about it. He is trying to score political points on the immigration train. I went to a town hall meeting where he spoke and after listening to him I as were many other people were not convinced he would put any effort behind supporting tougher enforcement at the State level. He is a lawyer by profession and that is a red flag clue that he will side with the populace that gets him the most reward and return on his investment. What did he do about this in 2007-2008-2009? Nothing! Wasnt his priority then.

Border Town School Asks for Proof of Residency

Updated: Monday, 23 Aug 2010, 9:47 PM MDT
Published : Monday, 23 Aug 2010, 9:46 PM MDT

LUKEVILLE, Ariz. - One Arizona school district is making students prove their Arizona residency before they can board the school bus.

It's happening in Lukeville, located on the Arizona-Mexico border.

The Ajo Unified School District asked the Pima County School District to check the residency status of students before they board the bus.

So far, over 40 students have been issued certificates to show they are legal residents. Last year, more than twice as many students rode the same bus route.

It's stemming from the fact the district can't afford to educate illegal immigrants.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/ed ... -8-23-2010

GO ARIZONA! You are doing it right!