Peoria School District Reverses Course, Votes to Fund Mental Health Support for Students

Peoria School District Reverses Course, Votes to Fund Mental Health Support for Students

Board Apologizes for Earlier Rejection of Federal Funding, Commits $275,000 to Keep Program Running

Phoenix, AZ – In a significant reversal, the Peoria Unified School District voted unanimously on Thursday to fund mental health support for students, just weeks after previously declining federal grant money for the program. The board voted 4-0 in favor of providing $275,000 in district funds to continue the initiative, which supports the mental well-being of students through social work services.

Board President Becky Proudfit, who had initially voted against the funding, apologized at the meeting for her previous decision, acknowledging the confusion it caused. “Because I didn’t have these conversations out in the open, it created chaos in the district, and I take responsibility for that,” Proudfit said.

The funding, originally part of a 2019 federal grant, will now ensure that three social work field instructors can continue to oversee 14 social work interns until June 2025.


Board member Heather Rooks, who also changed her vote, expressed her continued reservations about social workers on school campuses but noted the importance of the funding for students’ mental health.

Peoria Unified is one of 27 districts nationwide to have received funding through the 2019 program, which would have expired at the end of this month without the new vote.

For more details on this story, visit the Peoria Unified School District’s website.