Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs appears ready to side with school districts in their legal fight with Arizona leaders over whether they were illegally denied money.

A trial is set next month as districts allege they have been shorted more than $6 billion they have needed to maintain classrooms and build new schools. 

Attorneys for the Arizona School Facilities Board have argued funding decisions are political and beyond the reach of courts. 

But if Hobbs were to have the board’s lawyers stop defending, that does not mean that districts automatically win as state House Speaker Rusty Bowers and Senate President Karen Fann have their own lawyers.

And the judge involved has said he won’t delay the trial.

Still having the Facilities Board on the same side as the districts now could improve their chances of having a favorable ruling.