Phoenix district weighs closure of 2 schools, including campus for immigrant students

PHOENIX – The Alhambra Elementary School District is considering closing two Phoenix schools this summer due to low enrollment and budget concerns.

The district said it would save $1.4 million each year if the closure of Valencia Newcomer School and Choice Learning Academy is approved.

Valencia Newcomer was created in 2018 to meet community needs by offering a place for immigrant and refugee students to learn English and integrate into the school system before moving to a typical school. As of this week, it had only 22 students. As a transitional school, the enrollment is fluid compared to other campuses.

Its closure would open up the building at 3802 W. Maryland Ave. for an expansion of the neighboring Global Academy of Phoenix, which according to parents is in need of more space.

If Choice Learning Academy is closed, it would be consolidated with Westwood Elementary School, turning Westwood into a K-8 location. CLA currently has 377 students.

The CLA building at 5330 N. 23rd Ave. would be open to uses such as family resource centers, health services centers or alternative learning centers.

Alhambra community speaks out during public hearing

District officials and community members had a chance to weigh in on the proposal during a governing board meeting on Thursday.

Luis Mujica was one of the first students to ever attend Valencia Newcomer. He talked about the impact it made on him after he moved to the U.S. from Venezuela.

“It’s just so much love, so much respect for people who honestly are not able to, you know, speak for themselves, people who are ghosted, especially immigrants. … And for me, it’s basically, you know, helping other kids realize that it’s not always like that,” Mujica said.

He also said he is now attending Glendale Community College to become a teacher due to the impact Valencia had on him.

Mandi Bilyou, Alhambra Executive Director of Operations, explained Valencia was opened as a short-term setting for students who were new to the country.

“The intent is not to eliminate services for newcomer students, rather it is to embed those supports more directly into each site, allowing students to access language development, academic instruction and social supports in a more integrated and stable setting,” she said.

Derek DeVelder said he is a concerned community member worried about the impact of closing a school like Valencia. He works with Abounding Service Phoenix bringing together immigrant and refugee families with community members

“Valencia Newcomer School is not just a school. It’s more than just a school; it is a multigenerational source of impact. … There are many ripples that we will never see. Ripples of impact. But there are also ripples of cost if it is closed. The cost of isolation,” he said.

Josee Martinez has two children at the Global Academy and said he supports the closure of Valencia Newcomer School because it would improve his children’s learning environment.

“Currently there are from 30 to 35 students [per classroom], so that that creates some chaos between the professors and the teachers. That creates some stress on them, I can see them dealing with that,” he said.

Other community members brought up concerns about the declining enrollment as a response to the political climate of the U.S. right now, citing immigrant families’ worries about ICE showing up at their child’s school.

Another public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 12 before the governing board makes a final decision.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

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