Pinal Today

Arizona House Speaker Pro Tempore Neal Carter (R-San Tan Valley) and other members of the House Majority Leadership sent a letter to Attorney General Kris Mayes (D-Ariz.) requesting a criminal investigation into the financial collapse of Isaac Elementary School District (IESD) in Phoenix.

“These kids are victims of an incompetently run government school system,” said Carter. “House Republicans are the party of open schools, and we will step in to ensure that these schools will remain open for the students.”

IESD has been reported to be over $12 million in debt, with some sources indicating the deficit could be as high as $15 million or more. This financial mismanagement led to the district being unable to meet its payroll and other operational costs, reported Fox 10 Phoenix.

Due to the crisis, the Arizona State Board of Education placed the Isaac School District under receivership on January 14, 2025. The U.S. Department of Education has agreed to provide $6 million in federal relief funds to assist with immediate payroll needs. 

The superintendent of the district, Mario Ventura, resigned amid the financial crisis, taking responsibility for the situation. Additionally, there have been calls from educators for the entire school board to resign, reported ABC 15. 

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) has asked for emergency legislation to ensure staff are paid, while Mayes asked Maricopa County to continue payments to the district to prevent immediate disruptions.

The letter sent by House GOP leadership to Mayes said the leaders were “shocked to learn” that Mayes said she has “no intention of investigating this school district, claiming that there is no evidence of warranting an investigation.

“Your statements defending the school district’s actions strongly suggest that you have already made up your mind without reviewing any facts,” said the letter. “Notably, you have shown no hesitation whatsoever to investigate any potential violations of the law when the bad actors involved are affiliated with Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program.”

Carter was appointed to the Arizona House of Representatives for District 8 on October 27, 2021, following the passing of Representative Frank Pratt. He assumed office on November 5, 2021. In the 2022 general election, Carter was elected to represent District 15 and began his term on January 9, 2023. 

A graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, Carter also holds a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law. Professionally, he works for Nuix, a technology company specializing in document management software.