When Ford Elementary School principal Vince Kelly got up about an hour into Monday night’s Tucson Unified School District school closure meeting, he took the microphone and opened with the word “transportation.”
Throughout Sahuaro High School’s McConnell Gymnasium, fingers snapped in short, sharp pops.
Across the gym, someone coughed. Another cleared her throat. And chunky heels echoed on the hardwood.
It was that empty.
About 100 of the nearly 300 people who RSVP’d to the maxed-out community meeting, attended the first of three community sessions along with just over 40 TUSD employee facilitators to discuss closing 10 schools and how to do it.
A slide presentation which included the “why” schools need to be closed or consolidated kicked things off. About 40 white, round tables and white chairs dotted the gym floor, which was covered with a red tarp to protect the playing surface.
“I was at a table for Spanish speakers. Both of the interpreters at our table didn’t have to interpret,” said TUSD parent Brieanne Buttner, a former Tucson High teacher. “So that just says a lot to me about the turnout. So I’m not surprised there wasn’t a huge turnout. I hope that it increases.”
The meeting brought together a post-workday, fatigued, yet engaged group. For two hours and 30 minutes, families, teachers, administrators and community members voiced concerns, asked questions of each other, took notes, chomped on turkey and ham croissant sandwiches, chips and cookies (catered by TUSD food services).
TUSD Governing Board President Ravi Shah got a positive vibe, he said.
“We got a hundred people here,” Shah said. “There’s no right way to close any school or consolidate schools. It’s kind of figuring out how to do it in the least worst way.”
Before Monday night’s facilitated discussion came the sobering data followed by the why:
• TUSD has lost 3,700 students in the last five years.
• About 5,200 students within TUSD boundaries use Empowerment Scholarship Accounts.
• Those ESA students total a $29 million loss in available funding.
• The number of Kindergarteners is down 11% over last year.
Overall TUSD’s enrollment is projected to see about a 4% decline from last year to about 35,000 students, according to Arizona Department of Education data — a drop district officials attribute to lower Pima County birth rates and families using ESAs to homeschool or attend private schools, which has cost the district revenue.
Keeping half-full schools open, air conditioned and staffed is too costly, district administrators say. TUSD, which has 88 schools and is Southern Arizona’s largest district, says some schools could be consolidated: For example, a K-5 school could become K-8. The district is also exploring what to do with vacant school buildings and campuses.
Meeting participants diagrammed what that could like at some tables: More parks, some said. Community housing, said another.
No matter the prompt, the meeting’s common concerns were clear. Table-by-table, families and staff lamented about larger class sizes, fiscal considerations, loss of neighborhood schools forcing more transportation, reduction of two-way dual language programs, exceptional education students’ placement, how to keep a school community together and the loss of community and identity.
The end of that list brought parent Katherine Fiene to the meeting. Her middle school, Townsend, closed in 2013. The former eastside school was torn down and is now the home of the Pima Medical Institute Campus on Craycroft. TUSD closed nearly 20 schools from 2010-2016.
“My middle school actually closed. So, I know what it’s like. I wanted to come and share my story and actually express that loss,” Fiene said. “And I’m saying just how a school closure actually affects those who attended. And they broke my heart.”
Now the parent of an elementary student in a TUSD exceptional education program, Fiene is more invested.
“I want my son to continue to be at the school that he’s in. I want him to continue to get the help that he needs,” she said. “And TUSD is the place to do that,” adding the exceptional education program is a big part of why he’s thriving.
“I told them that TUSD will always hold a special place in my heart. Townsend was the best years of my life,” Fiene said. “And I want the district to know that you closed a school that was a part of me. You took something from me.”
Fiene, now a student at Pima Community College who aims to be a middle school social studies teacher, felt she gave back on Monday night by sharing her story. She brought her partner for support while their son attended the meeting-provided childcare.
As the forum came to a close, Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo laid out the timeline over the next nine weeks: Schools designated for closure or consolidation will be named publicly by mid-October after one-on-one meetings with principals, staff and families. Online public comment will be solicited and the board will study plans and ask questions. A public hearing is Nov. 10 and the board will vote on the proposal at its Dec. 8 meeting.
Before Monday’s meeting, Trujillo gave some insight into the big-picture plan.
“It is most likely going to be a 10-school package” in two phases, he said. Phase one includes some schools in the 2027-28 school year and phase two the following year.
The waitlist is open to RSVP for another meeting this week, TUSD says, although each is at capacity of about 200 people in school gyms. The next meeting is Wednesday, Sept. 23 at Cholla High School from 4-6:30 p.m. The Saturday, Sept. 26 meeting is at Tucson High School from 9-11:30 a.m. Childcare for ages 3-12, food and translation services will be available.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print.
