SchoolsThursday, November 5
TUSD recommends closing Steele Elementary, its eighth school closure proposal
The Tucson Today team
If you have a kid on the east side, this one's for you. Tucson Unified Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo on Wednesday recommended closing Steele Elementary and sending its students to Booth-Fickett K-8 for the 2028-29 school year. Steele is 35% full, and Booth-Fickett had 240 students last school year with capacity of more than 1,300.
Eight TUSD schools are recommended to close and merge
| Closing school | Merging into | Would start |
|---|---|---|
| Hudlow Elementary | Sewell Elementary | Aug. 2027 |
| Dunham Elementary | Marshall Elementary | Aug. 2027 |
| Cragin Elementary | Blenman Elementary | Aug. 2027 |
| Collier Elementary | Bloom Elementary | Aug. 2027 |
| Magee Middle School | Sabino High School | Aug. 2027 |
| Secrist Middle School | Santa Rita High School | Aug. 2028 |
| Cavett Elementary | Utterback Middle School | Aug. 2028 |
| Steele Elementary | Booth-Fickett K-8 | Aug. 2028 |
Sources: AZ Luminaria, KVOA, Tucson Spotlight, KGUN 9, Arizona Daily Star
The first five mergers would start in August 2027 if the Governing Board approves them at its Dec. 8 meeting, and Trujillo says they'd save about $7 million. Want a say? The board's public hearing is Tue., Nov. 17, at 5:30 p.m. at Sahuaro High School.
“Schools are magical places. They’re communities, they’re living, breathing communities that have been a point of pride in these neighborhoods for years.”
- Enrollment: down more than 20,000 students since 1999
- More possible: Trujillo said more consolidations could be announced
- Recommendations only: the board hasn't voted on any of them
The recommendations have rolled out since Oct. 19
- Oct. 19Trujillo proposes merging Hudlow Elementary into Sewell Elementary.
- Oct. 27Trujillo holds a news conference on the recommendations.
- Nov. 4Trujillo recommends consolidating Steele Elementary into Booth-Fickett K-8.
- Nov. 17The Governing Board hosts a public hearing at Sahuaro High School at 5:30 p.m.
- Dec. 8The Governing Board is not expected to take action before this meeting.
- Aug. 2027The first five consolidations would take effect if the board approves them.
Sources: KVOA, Tucson Spotlight, KGUN 9
Sources: KGUN 9, AZ Luminaria, KVOA, Tucson Spotlight, Arizona Daily Star