Hola,
It’s been an education week! We’re bringing you several education-related stories, from more funding threats and Arizona vouchers to a school graduating its first full class of career and technical students plus some turf news.
In today’s newsletter:
🚨 TUSD says $6 million hangs in the balance as school districts across Arizona and the U.S. are all “stuck” as the Trump administration holds nearly $7 billion for schools. Read here.
💰 Education notes this week: Arizona finally passed a budget and it includes nearly $1 billion for school vouchers. Plus: New football turf at Pueblo and Sabino and a new interim principal at Tucson High who is passionate about preparing students and fly fishing. Read notes here.
🎓 From health care to cybersecurity, this TUSD high school certifies students to bridge the gap between traditional learning and college or career. Read more about it.
🐍 Each year 200-250 Arizonans are bitten by rattlesnakes — most while walking, gardening or hiking. Local experts say understanding snake behavior is key to preventing bites. Learn how.
🗳️ Join Arizona Luminaria and Tucson Spotlight for a nonpartisan city council candidate meet-and-greet, hosted at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona campus on Tuesday, July 8. Learn more.
Featured stories
Tucson after-school programs, teacher training and more at risk as nearly $7B in federal funds withheld
The Tucson Unified School District says about $6 million in federal funding for everything from teacher training to after-school programs and English language instruction is on pause. On Monday, the […]
After back-and-forth, new AZ budget fully funds booming voucher program at nearly $1 billion
Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program will be fully funded next school year after the Legislature passed the budget Friday. The program is estimated to be funded at more than $880 […]
With career and technical education on the rise, TUSD’s Innovation Tech graduates its first four-year, in-person class
Principal Patricia Hurley smiled as she walked down the Innovation Tech High School hallway. As she showed a visitor the classrooms, which include drones, flight simulators, a restaurant kitchen and […]
How to avoid rattlesnake bites in Arizona: A Tucson toxicologist and other experts share safety tips
Chances are the rattlesnake you encountered on your hike or in your driveway was headed to work. Like humans, snakes have their routines. They forage for breakfast, meet up with […]
Let’s talk about the future of Tucson together
Join Arizona Luminaria and Tucson Spotlight for a nonpartisan city council candidate meet-and-greet, hosted at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona campus on Tuesday, July 8. We’re creating space for […]
Flickers 🕯️
Please fill out this quick submission form to suggest a future Flicker.
The number of homeless people in Pima County has ticked up slightly over the past year, from 2,102 people counted in the 2024 Point in Time Count to 2,218 counted in 2025. The PIT Count operates as a census of people who are on the streets, in shelters or transitional housing on a single day in January. Over the past decade, point-in-time data shows an increase in unsheltered people in Tucson and Pima County. In 2015, 1,863 people were counted, according to PIT data shared by the National Homeless Information Project. While the numbers show a stark reality, officials with the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness said they also showed encouraging signs such as a decline in youth homelessness and a drop in people living on the street rather than in homeless shelters. Still, those numbers are widely expected to be an undercount simply because it’s not possible to count every person, officials say. The full data can be found here.
Keep broken stuff out of the landfill and get it fixed for free at the volunteer-run Tucson Repair Cafe, 4-8 p.m. Saturday, July 12, at Xerocraft in Tucson.
Participate in or donate supplies to the Quincie Douglas Back to School Bash on Saturday, July 12, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Quincie Douglas Center. Families can access free sports physicals and required school vaccinations from the UA Mobile Health Clinic, and kids 5 and older will receive a free school supply pack while supplies last. For questions or to reserve your spot, call 520-791-2507 by July 9.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print.
