Schools cut social workers as AZ Dept. of Ed seeks money to meet grant demand

The Arizona Department of Education is asking the state legislature for additional money to fund school resource officers and social workers as they see an ‘unprecedented volume’ of requests.

This comes as school districts begin cutting mental health staff for the next school year.

Two school districts cited the lack of stable funding as the reason to cut social workers as they’re funded under the School Safety Program Grant. The grant’s base funding of $80 million pays for school resource officers as well as social workers or counselors, however, the three-year cycle is coming to an end at the conclusion of this school year.

RELATED: Peoria Unified school board votes to cut social workers/counselors

In the video player above, ABC15 Education Reporter Elenee Dao speaks to Superintendent Tom Horne about the need and the School Social Work Association of Arizona about the concerns of the state prioritizing officers.