TUSD approves hiring freeze and permanent cuts to vacant administrative positions as budget shortfall persists

The Tucson Unified School District governing board approved a districtwide hiring freeze and a set of permanent reductions to vacant administrative positions as part of an effort to cut costs and address an operating shortfall ahead of the FY‑26 budget, district officials said.

Superintendent and staff presented the board with a two‑track approach: a hiring freeze that preserves vacancy savings through June 30 and a list of vacant positions to be permanently closed if departments lack July‑1 budget capacity to refill them. Human Resources presented the recommended list of freezes and reductions and said the actions are intended to produce immediate carry‑forward savings while permanently shaving district salary obligations.

"The goal of the hiring freeze and the reductions was really to achieve a $5,300,000 salary and benefit savings across the institution," HR staff said in the presentation; the board and staff cited a combination of figures during the meeting for various components of the program. HR said some savings will be realized immediately by freezing vacant positions and that additional reductions will be recorded as departments complete FY‑26 budget reconciliations.

Staff outlined exemptions from the freeze and reductions: school‑based positions, exceptional education staffing, non‑permanent supplemental roles (for example summer positions) and employees already in the onboarding process. The district also told board members that departments would be able to refill frozen positions on July 1 if their finalized FY‑26 budget can accommodate the FTE and benefits costs.

John Hernandez, who led the HR presentation, said the freeze listing was updated weekly and noted the administration had worked with department leaders to identify positions that could be paused without compromising student health and safety. "Positions that are frozen right now cannot be filled, unless it meets the freeze criteria," Hernandez said. He added that departments retain the authority to reallocate funds within their budgets and submit requests to fill vacancies for July 1 if they demonstrate capacity.

Several board members pressed staff for detail and sought protections for high‑priority programs. Board member Dr. Shaw asked for and received confirmation that exceptional education positions were exempt from the cuts. Board member Natalie Luna Rose said she wanted clarity on how savings are realized: HR clarified that unused salary dollars from positions vacant in March are being swept to central accounts to become part of carry‑forward balances for the current fiscal year.

The item drew particular attention to equity and program concerns. Speaking about the district’s equity, diversity and inclusion structure, Dr. Trujillo explained that duties tied to the EDI office would be reassigned to student‑services departments and that certain magnet responsibilities would remain under a magnet director. Board members asked staff to ensure key programs continue uninterrupted and for community representation on future hiring panels for positions tied to equity and inclusion.

After discussion, board member Dr. Shaw moved to approve the hiring freeze and permanent position reductions with one amendment: removing the internal auditor position from the permanent cuts list. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously. The board asked staff to return with monitoring and restoration options should additional revenue become available.

Ending: The board’s approval formalized the freeze and permanent reductions as part of the district’s effort to reduce a multi‑million dollar structural deficit; departments may restore positions after July 1 if final FY‑26 budgets allow. District leaders said they would continue to prioritize student services and special education while seeking further budget solutions.