On Wednesday afternoon, the Tucson Unified School District recommended closing Cragin Elementary and consolidating with Blenman Elementary — the fifth and sixth schools named as part of recommendations to right-size Southern Arizona’s largest school district.
The two schools are among up to 10 of the district’s 88 schools named this week for reconfiguration, pending approval by the Governing Board in December.
On Wednesday:
— Cragin Elementary opened in 1950. As of the 2024-25 school year, it had about 180 students and was built for about 600, according to state education data. It earned a D grade at the end of the 2025 school year, state data says.
— Blenman Elementary was built in 1942. Its capacity is about 440 students and had about 270 students as of last school year, the state says. It earned a B grade in the 2024-25 school year, the Arizona State Board of Education website says.
Cragin and Blenman Elementary schools are in central Tucson and about two miles apart, each includes preschool through grade 5 and each has just over 20 staffers.
On Tuesday:
— Dunham Elementary opened in 1974. Its enrollment was about 130 students last school year and has less than 15 staffers, state education data says. It earned an A grade in the 2024-25 school year, according to the state.
— Marshall Elementary opened in 1964. Its enrollment was around 222 last school year and it has just under 30 staffers. The Arizona Department of Education graded it a B at the end of the 2025 school year.
Both Dunham and Marshall have preschool through fifth grade and are on 29th Street on the far east side. They are about a mile apart and if approved, their merger would begin next school year.
On Monday:
— Hudlow Elementary, has preschool through fifth grade and was recommended for closure next school year. The school, built in 1959 for a capacity of about 400 students had just over 160 students according to Arizona Department of Education data. It earned a D grade for the 2024-25 school year and has about 20 staff members.
— Sewell Elementary, also preschool through grade 5, will merge with Hudlow, about a mile away on Tucson’s east side. Sewell has nearly 170 students, state data says and was also built in 1959 for about 400 students, state school facilities data said. It earned a B grade in 2024-25, state data says and has just under 20 staffers.
Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo said two weeks ago he would first meet in person first with principals, then faculty at each school recommended for the changes. On Monday, Oct. 19, the district began rolling out a plan to close or consolidate schools over the next two years to save money, district officials say.
Speak out
Are you a staff member or a family affected by TUSD’s closure and consolidation recommendations? We want to talk with you. Email sconner@azluminaria.org or
text 520-991-5749.
Last year, TUSD lost nearly $8 million in state funds because of lower enrollment. The decline is due to lower Pima County birth rates and families using Empowerment Scholarship Accounts to homeschool or attend private schools have cost the district revenue and caused the need to close, district officials say.
“Families are understandably upset that we are naming schools one by one. Unfortunately we did not receive information in a timely manner as a governing board. I only learned of the first closure by logging into social media,” governing board member Jennifer Eckstrom told Arizona Luminaria Tuesday afternoon. “We have not been given a clear cut picture of what the financials look like or how we are going to provide a better school situation at a different location.”
Families at affected schools will receive a letter with more detailed information about the recommendations, including an invite to meet with Trujillo at an on-site school meeting, the superintendent said earlier this month.
At Tuesday night’s special board meeting via zoom, the board approved the following timeline 4-1 with Eckstrom opposed. The Oct. 27 governing board meeting will include a longer public comment section and will be at Palo Verde High School to accommodate an anticipated larger crowd. A Nov. 10 governing board meeting will include the final two realignment proposals. And a legally-mandated public hearing is Nov. 17. The board will vote on the realignment proposal on Dec. 8.
The district approved closing 10 elementary and middle schools and one high school in 2012. Cragin, Manzo and Sewell Elementary schools were all on that list and spared 14 years ago.
The district held four community meetings over the last five weeks to get feedback on TUSD demographics, enrollment and financial data. More than 300 people, including staff and community members attended the three in-person and one virtual meeting.
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