Kyrene School District at risk of losing $1.5 million in federal funding due to recent DEI policy

DEI policy threatens Kyrene School District funding

A DEI policy recently instituted by Kyrene School District puts $1.5 million in federal funding at risk.

TEMPE, Ariz. - A Valley school district that serves low-income students could be losing $1.5 million of federal money. 

After approving a DEI related policy, State Superintendent Tom Horne says the Kyrene School District recently approved a "staff social emotional wellness policy" to promote diversity in the workplace. 

He says this goes against the US Department of Education's guidance, which means they'll have to forfeit federal dollars earmarked for next school year.  

Why you should care:

Kyrene has four Title I schools, which rely on that money to provide education to low-income students. 

What they're saying:

Kyrene Superintendent Laura Toenjes provided FOX 10 Phoenix with the following statement:

The Kyrene Promise pledges "to provide welcoming, inclusive learning environments in which every student is honored, valued, and feels a strong sense of belonging and purpose." We stand behind that commitment. All Kyrene policies, including policies around inclusion and social-emotional wellness, are in compliance with state and federal law, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. I encourage anyone with questions to read the language in Kyrene’s policies, some of it pulled directly from Title VI.