Desegregation-funded programs outline services, warn cuts would hit students hardest

Directors for Tucson Unified’s desegregation‑funded programs told the governing board that proposed reductions would primarily affect student‑facing services such as tutoring, mentoring, summer supports and community outreach.

Maria Federico Brummer, director of Mexican American Student Services, described a portfolio that includes certified academic tutors, college‑mentoring and family outreach. She said community partnerships—University of Arizona programs, a dual‑enrollment Mexican American studies course and an annual Adelante parent‑and‑youth conference—amplify the department’s reach; she said the department’s current fiscal‑year budget is roughly in the low six‑figures and that a hypothetical 10 percent cut would require reallocations such as postponing two hourly college‑mentor positions and reducing site…