Tucson Unified recommends consolidating Magee Middle into Sabino High

For families on Tucson’s far east side, the proposed consolidation of Magee Middle School into Sabino High School could mean a major change in where students attend school, how they get there and how their communities are organized. Tucson Unified School District leaders are recommending that Magee close as a separate middle school and join Sabino in a combined sixth through 12th grade campus. If the Governing Board approves the plan, the change would take effect in August 2027, for the 2027 to 2028 school year.

The proposal was announced Thursday as TUSD’s fourth consolidation recommendation this week and the seventh and eighth school campuses identified for possible reconfiguration. Magee and Sabino are both in the far east part of Tucson, near Speedway Boulevard and Houghton Road, but they are about eight miles apart. The distance is a central concern for families because many Magee students walk to school now. The drive between the campuses is about 15 minutes, although the practical transportation burden could be much greater for families without reliable vehicles.

Magee was built in 1963 and had about 267 students during the last school year, despite a capacity of 965, according to state education data. The school received a B grade in the most recent state accountability ratings and lists 49 staff members. District data cited by KVOA show that Magee had 451 students in 2020 and is projected to have 268 students in 2026, reflecting a sharp decline over several years.

Sabino, built in 1971, has room for about 2,500 students and enrolled nearly 800 students last school year. It received an A grade in the state ratings and has 109 staff members listed on its website. Combining the schools would place middle and high school students in one broader campus structure, potentially allowing programs and staffing to be shared. Jim Byrne, president of the Tucson Education Association, said such a model could provide more continuity for students and employees and give programs such as band and orchestra more opportunity to grow.

Byrne also identified significant questions that TUSD will need to answer before the proposal moves forward, especially transportation. Younger students in sixth through eighth grade may not be able to drive, and carpooling is not an option for every family. He said Sabino employees have raised questions about attendance boundaries and where middle school students would be assigned. As of Thursday evening, he had not heard from Magee union members about their response. A neighbor who lives near Magee said he opposed closing the school and had observed fewer students over the years, along with what he described as increasing neglect of the property.

The Magee and Sabino recommendation follows three elementary school proposals announced earlier in the week. TUSD has recommended closing Hudlow Elementary and merging it with Sewell Elementary, combining Dunham Elementary with Marshall Elementary, and consolidating Cragin Elementary into Blenman Elementary. Those changes, if approved, are recommended for the next school year. The district has been releasing one proposal each day and Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo is scheduled to discuss the recommendations at an Oct. 27 press conference.

The consolidation push comes as TUSD attempts to adjust to sustained enrollment losses and lower state funding. The district, which serves about 35,000 students across 88 schools, lost nearly $8 million in state funding last year because of declining enrollment. District officials attribute the trend partly to lower birth rates in Pima County and the growing use of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts by families choosing homeschooling or private schools. TUSD held four community meetings during the preceding five weeks to gather feedback about its enrollment, demographic and financial data. More than 300 staff members, community members and others attended the three in person meetings and one virtual session.

The district has said families at affected schools will receive letters with more information and invitations to meet with Trujillo at school based meetings. A 31 member reconfiguration advisory committee made up of community leaders, staff members and parents is also reviewing possible changes. Trujillo said the committee would receive two additional scenarios, which could involve another closure, a grade change or a consolidation, for discussion at the Nov. 10 board meeting. The district has not indicated which schools those scenarios would involve.

The Governing Board approved the current decision schedule in a 4 to 1 vote, with board member Jennifer Eckstrom opposed. The Oct. 27 meeting will include an expanded public comment period and will be held at Palo Verde High School because the district expects a larger crowd. The board plans to present the final two realignment proposals on Nov. 10, hold a legally required public hearing on Nov. 17 and vote on the overall plan Dec. 8. The process is drawing attention in part because TUSD approved the closure of 10 elementary and middle schools and one high school in 2012. Cragin, Manzo and Sewell were among the schools on that earlier list but ultimately remained open.