The single-largest source of federal funds for the Tucson Unified School District is under threat for next budget year as the clock winds down on passing a new federal budget.
The federal budget deadline is Sept. 30 and if the House version is passed, TUSD stands to lose $6.4 million. Total proposed cuts to the Department of Education (preschool to post-secondary education) are $12 billion beginning Oct. 1.
“It would be a painful loss if the 27% reduction in Title I funds trickles down in its entirety to school districts,” said TUSD Chief Financial Officer Ricky Hernández. “It would completely decimate our ability to provide supplemental instructional services in reading and math to our most at-risk students.”
The reduction could eliminate TUSD’s capacity to supply free preschool services to the neediest district families, he said.
Title I schools are those with at least 40% low-income students. Currently, 87 of TUSD’s 88 schools qualify. University High School is the only non-Title I school in the district.
TUSD cannot make up the potential loss, Hernández said. It could affect jobs and services and the district is “trying to be preemptive instead of reactive.”
In other local districts: Sunnyside, could lose about $2.2 million and at Amphitheater Public Schools, about $1.5 million, according to estimates by the Education Law Center.
Calendar approved for 2026-27
The 2026-27 TUSD school calendar will have a few changes from this year, after it was approved 5-0 by the Governing Board Tuesday night.
The differences include: No school the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 25; starting the school year on Thursday, Aug. 6 (It began on a Monday this year.) And, the final two school days will be May 24 and 25. Folks, that means graduation is on a Monday and Tuesday.
The last two days of school are the “most poorly attended days anyway — wherever you put them,” TUSD Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo said during Tuesday’s board meeting.
Go inside Arizona’s education system
Learn about the future of Arizona education in a town hall streaming here on Sunday, Sept. 21.
The forum features more than a dozen Arizonans who lead the way in education from early childhood and K-12 and post-secondary education to big-picture thinkers discussing the way forward.
More cuts at Pima Community College
Funding cuts at Pima Community College came into focus this week and it’s not just numbers, officials say.
“They represent students — first-generation college-goers, working parents, veterans, and many others whose futures are being put at risk,” said PCC Governing Board president Greg Taylor.
Five of the 10 TRIO grants and the Hispanic-Serving Institution Strive Online grant have all been discontinued, Taylor said. Pima officially heard from the Department of Education last week. This week, Pima had one TRIO grant continued, he said.
The TRIO grants prep low-income and first-generation students for college and provide tutoring and mentoring. HSI grants are for all students and the canceled one supports online learning for low-income students in Southern Arizona.
The cuts could mean a $10 million slash in Pima’s budget and include STEM funding and childcare for student-parents. Pima relies on federal funding and property-tax support and does not receive additional funds from Arizona. If the state funded Pima, and it has not since 2009, it would have been an additional $209 million over the last 16 years, Taylor said.
Three questions with Pima JTED teacher Scott Weiler
As the robotics and manufacturing teacher at Pima JTED, Scott Weiler was fired up when he found out his classroom was awarded a $300,000 robotic arm and training by Fanuc America.
This week, the arm was unveiled and Weiler reflected on its importance in educating his students and more.
How will students use the robotic arm? The arm is one they would use in a manufacturing setting. That level of realism and connection often helps students take learning seriously. Fanuc is one of the largest brands in the world, but along with our others, we can use it in my classes of first and second-year students to teach them the basic principles on programming and function so they can step into jobs right after graduation. Additionally, we get students certified, making them even more appealing to industry. The main skills are about understanding the basic function like how to turn it on, program it with basic features, and understand how they can access high features like palletizing.
How long have you taught at JTED? What keeps you going? This is my third year at Pima JTED, but my 19th year of teaching. I switched to teaching when I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do with my life and thought I’d take a year off to teach in South Korea. When I got done, I realized this was what I needed to do. But it never occurred to me that I could ever teach engineering or robotics at any level, much less to middle and high schoolers. Over the years I have discovered the opportunities and moved to where I am now just enjoying the fun of sharing the things I love with a new generation of students. And while high schoolers can be a fickle bunch, you can see a change in them when they start grasping a concept they never even considered knowing, much less the ability to. I make the classes a process of discovery that students are part of without me dumping information on them, but letting them dive into the technology while acting more as a mentor and tutor. It keeps it fun for all of us.
What robot/AI would you use on a daily basis and why? I try to stay true to my teaching about what robots are needed for, the dirty, dangerous, and dull. I don’t want robots and AI that take away from the human experience. But I admit, it is wonderful when they can do tasks I can’t nor have the ability to invest time and resources into. The key is what I try to convey to my students, balance and understanding. Taking away too many tasks means we aren’t at the best we can be. That leaves us to where we aren’t learning or improving who we are. With that said, versatile and cute robots like what we see in movies like R2-D2 and Baymax would be amazing. I wouldn’t pass up on an opportunity.
Community bulletin board
🎶 TUSD celebrates: A $2 million arts endowment for OMA.
💲Horne asks for safety funds: Arizona Superintendent of Instruction Tom Horne says he will ask for $180 million from the state to improve school safety.
🍎 Free food: Each of the 40,000 students in the Tucson Unified School District has access to free breakfast and lunch this school year at 87 campuses throughout Tucson. Find menus here. No application needed. Email foodservices@tusd1.org with questions.
📣 Ask us: Election season is upon us and we answer your questions regarding the bond and override questions for voters in TUSD, Flowing Wells and Sunnyside districts.
⚖️ Horne II: Horne loses bid to remove Arizona Supreme Court justice from education case.
🚨New alert system: TUSD equips 6,000 employees with panic button on lanyards.
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