TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved most of its administrative budget reduction recommendations for the 2026-27 fiscal year (FY) Tuesday night, sparing attendance and registration technicians after a packed room of teachers, staff and parents urged the board to reconsider.
The cuts are part of TUSD's financial recovery plan to reduce spending by $27 million by 2030. Superintendent Dr. Gabriel Trujillo said the district's costs such as medical benefits, salary and compensation continue to rise while enrollment is declining, leading to TUSD taking a hit.
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"We've got to make sure that we're keeping the raises so you see our costs are going up, but our revenue is declining and that gap in between, that's what's called the deficit and that's what we're trying to cut into to make sure that what we're spending out the door matches the revenue that we're bringing in," Trujillo said. "You're not going to tackle a $27, $28 million dollar budget in one year because of the shock and the trauma to the organization, right? So you've got to phase it in."
The six approved recommendations include
1. Elimination of all Regional Itinerant Substitute Teachers
2. Elimination of the Customer Support Center & associated positions
3. Eliminate one Regional Asst Superintendent Office
4. Merge Multicultural Curr. & Culturally Relevant Pedagogy & Inst.
5. Eliminate Senior Director of Magnet Programs
position
6. Direct the Budget Advisory Committee to begin the process to explore school consolidations and reconfigurations for the 2027-28 school year
The only recommendation that failed to pass 0-5 was the centralization and reduction of attendance and registration techs. That savings alone was going to be just over one million dollars. So now back to the drawing board to figure out what else can be potentially cut to make up for that amount. That will be presented at the next meeting on March 10.
Voting no on this recommendation drew relief from those who had come to fight for their colleagues.
Parent Alex Holman argued that front-line staff play a critical role in keeping schools running.
"Front office staff ensure students are accounted for, attendance is accurate. Families are supported, and school operations run smoothly day to day. Most importantly, direct role in making sure students are physically present in their seats each day," Holman said.
Holman said she believes any shared sacrifice should start at the top of the district's leadership structure.
"Including the superintendent, who received a pay raise earlier this year. I also want to make it clear that I'm fully prepared to withdraw my children from TUSD if these layoffs continue," Holman said.
Audrey Cunneely, a K-8 health assistant at TUSD, came to support her colleagues whose job was in limbo and said she was glad the board voted against it.
"Very grateful to keep our attendance clerk, we need her. She's the one that greets the people during the day and I believe they did the right thing by that," Cunneely said.
Cunneely does agree with the board's move to explore school consolidations, despite some push back they may experience.
"That's not a popular vote by any stretch of the imagination. Nobody wants to do that, but Amphi's already done it, so they've already taken the hit from the public, and we probably should follow suit," Cunneely said.
The total estimated savings for FY27 is about $3.8 million dollars.
You can find the full presentation with more details in TUSD's agenda under study/action item 9.1
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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
