EVIT files injunction request against 9 school districts as legal battle continues

The East Valley Institute of Technology filed a request for an injunction Tuesday as part of its ongoing legal battle with nine local school districts.

EVIT wants a Maricopa County Superior Court judge to prevent the districts from spending certain taxpayer money that was allocated for career and technical education anywhere but EVIT.

Tuesday’s filing is the latest move since the nine districts sued EVIT in December 2025 because the parties were unable to agree on a new intergovernmental agreement after the last one expired a year ago.

EVIT is what’s known as a career and technical education district, or CTED. As a publicly funded trade school, it provides career training to East Valley high school students.

Funds to support courses from CTEDs are generated through a property tax and passed on to member districts to use on career and technical education.

The nine districts suing EVIT have accumulated about $50 million from this tax in what are called Fund 596 accounts.

Why does EVIT want an injunction issued?

EVIT is arguing that while the districts are free to spend from their own budget on career and technical education, the money in the Fund 596 accounts is bound to EVIT.

EVIT Superintendent Chad Wilson told KTAR News 92.3 FM the goal of the injunction request is to freeze the Fund 596 accounts until a new intergovernmental agreement can be reached.

“As we round out the end of this school year and begin the next school year, we are concerned that those dollars that are sitting in their 596 accounts may be used for programs or opportunities that have not been approved by EVIT,” Wilson said.

In response to the injunction request, the nine districts issued a statement accusing EVIT of “attempting to expand its control over all” career and technical education programs.

During the ongoing legal battle, the districts say they are taking on the full cost of operating career and technical education programs, something that isn’t feasible indefinitely.

Wilson said EVIT does not want to see students lose access to career and technical education.

“But they [districts] shouldn’t be providing those with the CTED-generated funding, which is that tax that voters agreed to pay in order to create the CTED district, which EVIT is,” he said.

The following districts are involved in the lawsuit:

• Apache Junction Unified School District
• Cave Creek Unified School District
• Chandler Unified School District
• Fountain Hills Unified School District
• Gilbert Unified School District
• Higley Unified School District
• J.O. Combs Unified School District
• Queen Creek Unified School District
• Tempe Union High School District

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

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