Facing budget deficit, SUSD board approves closure of 2 schools in narrow vote
The Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board narrowly voted Tuesday night to close and repurpose Echo Canyon School and Pima Elementary School.
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PHOENIX – The Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board narrowly voted Tuesday night to close and repurpose Echo Canyon School and Pima Elementary School.
The move, which will displace over 500 students, was made despite community opposition as SUSD deals with a budget deficit projected to be as high as $9 million.
The board voted 3-2 to approve the closures, which are expected to save over $2.5 million, according to agenda documents for the meeting.
What happens next as SUSD moves ahead with school closures?
The district will provide student reassignment, transportation and relocation assistance for the schools, which have been facing declining enrollments and were down to fewer than 300 students each.
Pima Elementary School, which is located near Osborn and Granite Reef Road, currently serves 296 students in grades K-5.
Echo Canyon School, on 62nd Street south of Camelback Road, has 264 students in grades K-8.
It isn’t yet known how the campuses will be repurposed when they are closed after the current school year. Pima recently underwent an $18 million renovation project.
Board member Matthew Pittinsky posted an open letter detailing the reasons he voted yes.
“I am saddened, frustrated, even angry, to make this decision given how it will affect the families currently attending Pima and Echo Canyon. … I promise to focus on ensuring the district provides as much support as possible as you, and our amazing teachers and staff, find new communities in SUSD with which to join, attach and grow,” he wrote.
More SUSD schools up for review next year
SUSD might not be through closing schools. The following six campuses with enrollment near or below 400 students will be considered next year in phase 2 of the district’s repurposing and enrollment review:
- Anasazi Elementary School
- Copper Ridge School
- Laguna Elementary School
- Redfield Elementary School
- Tonalea Middle School
- Yavapai Elementary School
The governing board has final say on any closures.
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Comments
13 Comments
You think maybe because Arizona is ranked 49 out of 50 on public school funding per student that could be the reason why public schools are failing?
You are correct that the problem existed before ESA. It’s isn’t new. But neither is our low outcomes ranking and chronically low funding. ESA didn’t cause the problem, but will exacerbate it. I understand why a parent may choose to seek alternatives to a failing public school for their children. What I don’t understand is why the GOP chronically underfunded them, then instead of focusing efforts on improving them, including more robust spending, essentially abandoned them in favor of a private sector solution.
It all sounds so clean, until you realize the funding streams keep getting smaller. Think about it — if as you say public schools got to keep the revenue but didn’t serve students that opted for private school, their per pupil funding would increase. And STILL AZ is #49. So it may not be a direct accounting balance sheet debit/credit, but it’s definitely lowering funding of public schools.