HUSD News Stories

Higley Schools | March 17, 2025- The Higley Unified School District (HUSD) spends more than 70 percent of its budget in the classroom, directly impacting students across all grade levels. According to the latest report from the Arizona Auditor General, HUSD has effectively allocated to classroom spending, significantly outperforming state averages and comparable districts. 

Key Highlights from the Report: 

• High Classroom Spending: HUSD allocated an impressive 70.1% of its budget to classroom spending, which includes direct instructional costs. The average teacher salary in HUSD is $1,957 more than the state average, and has increased 25 percent in the last five years.  

• Low Administrative Costs: HUSD spends only 10.4% of its budget on administrative costs, which includes not just administrator salaries but also payroll, purchasing, warehousing, printing, human resource activities, administrative technology services, insurance; and other costs related to these services and the governing board. HUSD administration costs are "Low" compared with similar districts and districts across the state. HUSD has one administrator for every 80 students, while peer district have one per 65 students, and the state average is one per 61. 

• Commitment to Student Success: The district's focus on classroom spending ensures that more resources are directed towards student learning, resulting in positive academic results. Higley students outperformed their peers in Math, ELA and Science state assessments, exceeding averages by five or more percentage points in each subject across similar districts and the state.  

Higley Unified CFO Tyler Moore reflected on the work of the Finance Department and District Administration. "The classroom spending report is a direct reflection of aligning district resources to our strategic plan and Governing Board initiatives," he said. "Our goal has always been to ensure that we prepare our students for limitless opportunities. We will continue to prioritize student outcomes and classroom spending." 

For more information about Higley Unified School District's financial report and spending analysis, please visit the Arizona Auditor General's website.