The Tucson Unified School District is looking into saving or shutting down two early learning centers.
On the agenda Tuesday night was a call to find a resolution for Brichta and Schumaker. By the end of the night, the board decided on a 30-day deadline to come up with a break-even plan by Spring.
Numerous parents addressed the board asking them to not close down Brichta and Schumaker, calling them the "pride" of the district.
Board member Mark Stegeman says the district lost just over $1 million last year because of the early learning centers, and stands to lose half a million this year.
TUSD raised tuition this year, and Stegeman says it hasn't broken even.
Former Brichta teacher says there are babies on the waitlist to attend IELCs who aren’t even born yet. She doesn’t want to see them closed — TUSD board will decide on how to mediate financial woes with Brichta and Schumaker @kgun9 pic.twitter.com/PRCgFlCIao
— Natalie Tarangioli (@ntarangioli) October 17, 2018
Not everyone at Tuesday's meeting was in favor of TUSD chipping in more money for the centers. One parent says a small percentage of students who attend these schools continue their education with TUSD.
This woman addresses the @tucsonunified board saying Brichta and Schumaker are the “pride of TUSD.” She does not want the early learning centers to close pic.twitter.com/w0pgaO52FG
— Natalie Tarangioli (@ntarangioli) October 17, 2018
Students do not need to live within district boundaries to attend Brichta and Schumaker.
After hearing remarks from parents and teachers for more than two hours, Stegeman said adding the item on the agenda about the centers was never about closing them.
