Compromise and sacrifice for the greater good. That was the thinking behind the East Valley Institute of Technology’s (EVIT) decision to offer $2 million, half the cost of transportation, to help ensure high school students can continue accessing our central campuses next school year. 

We made this offer because the stakes are too high to do otherwise. EVIT provides students with hands-on, high-quality career and technical education that prepares them for college, careers, and the workforce. For many students, these programs are not available anywhere else. 

Without reliable transportation, access to these life-changing opportunities is put at risk. EVIT has stepped forward with a meaningful commitment and a willingness to share the burden. We hope our district partners will do the same. At some point, the debate over transportation costs must give way to a shared commitment to students. Their futures are worth the investment. The bus stops here — hopefully.

EVIT did not create the current transportation crisis that now threatens students’ ability to access our programs. Several school districts involved in litigation against EVIT recently informed families that they would no longer provide transportation to EVIT’s central campuses, a service they had provided for years. Those notifications arrived just as students were preparing for final exams, creating understandable anxiety and uncertainty for families who had already committed to attending EVIT next school year.

The impact falls hardest on families with limited financial resources, many of whom rely on district transportation to access educational opportunities. Without reliable transportation, students may lose access to career and technical education programs that prepare them for high-demand careers as electricians, construction professionals, medical assistants, and other skilled trades.

At a time when Arizona employers are facing significant workforce shortages and demand for skilled workers continues to grow, restricting access to career training is a step in the wrong direction. Our students deserve better. They deserve the opportunity to gain the skills, certifications, and experience that will prepare them for successful careers and strengthen Arizona’s workforce for years to come.

To make sure those students are able to get the education they need, and deserve, EVIT will delay planned renovations and expansion projects at its Main Campus. Admittedly, that money would have better served ALL the students within the EVIT Career Training Education District by improving the Main Campus. But we feel making the sacrifice is worth ensuring all who want to attend EVIT can do so. We hope the East Valley school districts will respond in kind.

Unlike many school districts, EVIT has not asked voters to approve a bond or budget override, nor do we receive state funding for transportation. Yet when students’ access to education was threatened, we stepped forward. We are willing to delay projects and redirect resources to help cover transportation costs because ensuring students can access career and technical education is more important than any project on our wish list. This is not an easy decision, but it is the right one. However, EVIT cannot solve this problem alone. To keep buses rolling and students learning, our member districts must be willing to do their part and work with us to resolve the crisis their decisions created. It is time to put learning ahead of litigation and students ahead of politics.

The districts suing EVIT have approximately $50 million provided by taxpayers within the EVIT Career Technical Education District and authorized by the EVIT Governing Board for transportation purposes. Rather than use those funds to transport students to EVIT, they are choosing to keep the money in district accounts while denying students access to transportation. 

Several of those districts have used these dollars for transportation to the Central Campus in previous years as reported in their Annual Financial Report submitted to the Arizona Department of Education. 

Last year, nine member districts sued EVIT after negotiations over a new intergovernmental agreement (IGA) reached an impasse. The districts are seeking a larger share of EVIT funding and greater discretion over how voter-approved career and technical education dollars are spent.

EVIT has taken a different position. We believe more of those funds should remain focused on their intended purpose: supporting students and strengthening career and technical education programs. That includes investing in teachers, improving student achievement, enhancing financial oversight, and strengthening data collection and program accountability in district-operated satellite programs. These are priorities that align with recommendations made by the Arizona Auditor General’s Office and are designed to ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively and transparently to benefit students.

It’s a complicated issue. But not when it comes to transportation. Students should not have to suffer. We are willing to make sacrifices. We ask the involved school districts to do the same, put their differences aside, put the students first, and get those buses rolling next year. 

Chad Wilson is superintendent of the East Valley Institute of Technology.