EVIT

EVIT Questions from the Public

The Facts

The Court’s May 8th ruling is an unequivocal win for the Districts. The Districts’ lawsuit was motivated by EVIT’s refusal to specify how a single dollar that it retained by the Districts’ satellite CTE enrollment was spent, much less for the Districts’ benefit. The Districts believed that the statute prohibited EVIT from retaining any money that it did not spend to support satellite programs. The Court ruled that that interpretation is correct. The Court found that EVIT is prohibited from retaining “any portion of the funding generated by enrollment in [the Districts’] Satellite CTE that is not used by that actor to either: (1) directly support the Satellite CTE program, or (2) to provide services to the District’s Satellite CTE program.” [Finding 3, pg. 5] In other words, the Court found that EVIT has to reinvest the money generated by the Districts’ effort back into those local in-district satellite programs.
CUSD pays $1,068,809.00 for transportation to and from EVIT.
In SY25/26, 6000+ CUSD students take CTE classes on a CUSD campus (satellite).
In SY25/26, 800+ CUSD students take CTE classes on an EVIT central campus (Power or Main). 293 of which were using CUSD transportation to EVIT.
For students attending EVIT’s Main or Power campuses, EVIT receives 100% of the state CTE funding for those students, CUSD receives $0 for those students.
For satellite/in-district on high school CTE courses: districts receives approximately 87% of the funding tied to those students, EVIT retainsapproximately 13% of the funding generated by CUSD students, even though those students may never step foot on an EVIT Campus and EVIT does nothing to support the satellite/in-district programs.
EVIT’s claim that CUSD has $10 million in Fund 596 is based on data from fiscal year 24/25. That number covers $5 million in salaries for fiscal year 25/26, construction projects, and equipment purchases/replacement cycles.
- Current Projected Balance of Fund 596: $3.5 million (This depends on receiving a $1.4 million payment from EVIT that is still outstanding).
- Worst-Case Scenario: If the EVIT payment falls through, the balance drops to $2.1 million.
With no Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) in place, CUSD is unable to transport students to EVIT central campuses.
No other CTED (Career Technical Education District) in the State of Arizona requires transportation within their IGA (Intergovernmental Agreement).
The EVIT Board cannot dictate how districts spend the funds generated by students enrolled in CTE satellite programs (in-district CTE programs on district campuses).
The Districts tried for 18 months to mediate. It was not until the courts required mediation that EVIT finally came to the table.
EVIT should have better outcomes as students are going to EVIT three hours a day and complete a program in one year.
The only professional development EVIT provides is for teachers who have deficiencies on their teaching certification. This past year CUSD only had nine such teachers.
Fundamentally, this dispute is about what it means to be a good partner. The law requires EVIT to work in collaboration with the Districts. But collaboration necessarily requires compromise. EVIT has not made a single concession throughout this process, despite the Districts’ repeated offers and creative proposed solutions to find a middle ground.
CUSD students can still attend EVIT, but the student or their family will need to provide their own transportation to EVIT.
CUSD has more than 20 CTE programs across the district's six comprehensive high schools.
The CUSD Governing Board held an executive session on May 13, where the EVIT transportation and addition of CUSD Centralized Programming matter was discussed. No action or policy change was required as this was a legal update as to the next steps based on the court ruling. Board approval is not required to establish bus routing.
We wish EVIT nothing but the best. At this point we are focused on creating stronger alternative partnerships and solutions to support all students. We encourage students to consider all options and look forward to providing an increased number of on-campus solutions as well as expanding partnerships across the east valley.

May 19, 2026 Letter To CTE Families

May 19, 2026 Letter to EVIT Families

June 12, 2026 Letter to CUSD & EVIT CTE Families

EVIT Misinformation Clarification

The nine districts are calling out EVIT Superintendent Chad Wilson for spreading misinformation and attempting to unnecessarily scare families and students about the future of Career and Technical Education programs.

The districts have consistently supported CTE programs and have continued fully funding and operating classes on their own campuses throughout this dispute, while EVIT retained millions of dollars due to the nine districts. At no point have the districts sought to eliminate student opportunities or dismantle EVIT. Instead, the districts have fought to protect students, local classrooms, and taxpayer dollars intended for instruction.

The districts believe EVIT has acted as a bad actor throughout this process by refusing to provide meaningful financial transparency while simultaneously demanding more control and more money from local districts. EVIT sought to retain significantly more funding generated by students attending classes on district campuses, diverting dollars away from teachers, equipment, labs, and on-campus instruction to support increased administrative costs at EVIT.

The lack of a contract between the nine districts and EVIT, a result of EVIT’s refusal to collaborate, has created a situation where the districts have no choice but to look for options that provide the best educational opportunities for every child, in every school.

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