TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson Unified School District is facing a financial crisis driven by declining enrollment, and officials say as many as 10 schools may need to be closed or consolidated.
Parents and students packed a public meeting with TUSD officials to share how potential closures would affect their families and communities.
Rhiannon Ward, a TUSD parent, said she attended to make sure district leaders understand what a school closure would mean for her family. Her child attends Drachman Middle School.
"As a parent, it's concerning to think that schools might close and it's going to affect our kids. So I want to share with them how that will affect us," Ward said.
Ward described the school as a home away from home for her child.
"It's their first friends, it's their first teachers, it's their first everything. So having to move them to another place where they're going to have to meet new people, and be a brand new student again is a big deal," Ward said.
TUSD officials say declining birth rates and the rise of private charter schools are major factors behind the district's enrollment problem.
As it stands, TUSD schools are only operating at a 58% capacity rate, with nearly 28,000 empty seats across the district.
The district is holding a series of community meetings to gather feedback on what should be preserved and improved as it determines next steps.
Sky Sazcko, a TUSD facilitator, said community input is central to the process.
"In making some of the decisions that our governing board is looking at, the families and our staff members, our community members, it's really important because we want to make sure that they have a say and that we know how they feel about it," Sazcko said.
Parents raised concerns about class sizes, transportation, and safety during the meeting. Superintendent Dr. Gabriel Trujillo said no final decisions have been made about which schools could be affected.
"Sincerely, we don't know which schools are going to end up being in the final proposal. All we have is a list of schools that have been historically underruled," Trujillo said.
However, Trujillo did say that schools on Tucson's east side may be more likely to be considered for consolidation efforts.
"It is only because of the demographic that we're looking at over there," Trujillo said. "The shifts in home ownership, the shift in birth rates, the historically lower birth rates have hit particularly harder in the eastern sector of the county, and the most dramatic changes in home ownership are happening over on the east side."
Trujillo said the district's primary goal for these meetings is to understand what parents need from any new school their children may be moved to.
"The most important point of feedback we want tonight is if you're a parent of a school that might close that your child goes to, what do you expect from us in the new school in terms of programs, resources, opportunities, and access that you had at the last school?" Trujillo said.
Ward said she believes the meetings are a step in the right direction.
"I know TUSD won't have all the answers, but I think a meeting like this where they're hearing from parents, and they're hearing from the people that their decisions impact is really important to get rid of any disconnect there might be," Ward said.
The community will have another opportunity to share feedback at Tucson High on Saturday, September 26, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
—
JJ McKinney joined KGUN 9 in July of 2025 as a multimedia journalist. He graduated from Colorado State University in May of 2025 with a degree in journalism and media communications and a minor in law. With a background in investigative reporting and documentary filmmaking, JJ is dedicated to giving a platform to the voices of his community. Share your story ideas and important issues with JJ by emailing jj.mckinney@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
