TUSD discusses how school consolidation and grade reconfiguration meetings are going

Families, students and employees across Tucson Unified School District are being asked to help shape a process that could change where children attend school and how campuses are organized. TUSD is examining possible school consolidations, closures and grade range changes as enrollment declines, with community meetings scheduled this month and Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo expected to present recommendations to the governing board in December.

The district’s process, called “Reimagining Our Schools Together,” is focused on how TUSD can respond to changing enrollment and demographics. Trujillo has said he is not certain he will recommend closing schools outright, but six to 10 schools should expect some type of impact over the next several years. The potential changes could affect students, families, teachers, principals, support staff and the neighborhoods connected to individual campuses.

TUSD had about 39,000 students enrolled across 88 schools during the last school year. Enrollment fell 3% from the previous year and 7% since 2021. Trujillo said the district is losing students to charter schools and the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, which helps families pay for private schools, microschools or homeschooling. He also pointed to declining birth rates. The number of school age children living within TUSD boundaries has dropped from more than 56,000 five years ago to slightly above 52,500 now. State data also shows that nearly 900 students who had attended TUSD schools entered the voucher program between 2017 and 2026.

A community advisory committee met on Aug. 29 for a full day to review information about individual schools. According to Trujillo, members examined each campus’s neighborhood student capture rate, facility usage ratio and facility conditions index score. They also reviewed the percentage of students in each neighborhood who attend charter schools. The group began discussing possible scenarios for changing grade configurations or consolidating campuses, although no final decisions have been announced.

A consolidation would move the students at one campus to another school. A closure would shut down a school without identifying another campus as its replacement. A grade range adjustment would reduce the number of grades at a school, such as changing a kindergarten through eighth grade campus into a kindergarten through fifth grade school. The distinctions matter to Tucson families because each option could affect transportation, school communities, staff assignments, enrollment patterns and the future use of buildings.

The district’s approved timeline calls for three public engagement sessions this month. Meetings are scheduled for Sept. 21 at Sahuaro High School, Sept. 23 at Cholla High School and Sept. 26 at Catalina High School. Families can register children for on site child care and will receive food during the sessions. Another advisory committee meeting is planned before then to discuss how the forums should be organized and what topics parents and community members should be asked to address. Trujillo has said that if attendance is not substantial, the district will schedule additional opportunities.

The superintendent has emphasized that employees must be included alongside parents and students. He said educators and other staff members will be affected by consolidations and deserve a chance to share their perspectives. TUSD also plans meetings with potentially affected schools in the fall, followed by a public presentation of Trujillo’s recommendations in December. He has promised to notify potentially affected families and employees before those recommendations are released publicly.

The process includes more than one advisory group. An internal task force and a superintendent’s advisory committee also are participating. That committee includes city ward representatives, county district representatives, teachers’ union members, principals and others. TUSD hired De la Cruz Leadership Solutions, led by Bill de la Cruz, as a third party consultant for $75,000. Trujillo said outside assistance is intended to provide professional support and help protect the credibility of the process.

Some governing board members have questioned whether the schedule and structure allow enough time for meaningful public involvement. Board member Jennifer Eckstrom voted against the approved plan, saying advisory committee members had raised concerns that the group did not adequately represent all stakeholders. Board member Sadie Shaw also opposed the plan and called for virtual participation options for families unable to attend in person. Trujillo urged a large turnout, telling the board that each session should draw at least 100 people and be heavily publicized.

TUSD’s current approach is shaped in part by criticism of earlier closure decisions. Trujillo said the district’s closure processes in 2010 and 2012 were marked by limited community input and insufficient opportunities for parents, residents and employees to respond. He also said residents were left uncertain about what would happen to vacant school buildings. The superintendent has reviewed other districts’ experiences, including Amphitheater Unified School District’s recent decision to close and consolidate four elementary schools after parents and teachers objected. He said TUSD wants to avoid holding meetings that make families feel the outcome has already been decided. For Tucson residents, the coming forums will be the clearest opportunity so far to weigh in before the district moves from data review to specific recommendations.