Phoenix Elementary board authorizes staff reductions and approves closure of Heard, Dunbar to address budget shortfall

The Phoenix Elementary School District Governing Board voted March 25 to authorize a reduction in force and to approve “Plan A,” which includes closing Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary School and May Bartlett Heard Elementary School and associated boundary changes.

The actions follow a financial presentation by newly hired Chief Financial Officer Aaron Whittle and a series of public comments urging both action and alternatives. Whittle told the board, “Numbers tell a trend. They tell a story,” and said the district had lost roughly 1,500 students since fiscal 2018 and faces an immediate operating shortfall as federal COVID‑relief (ESSER) funds end.

Why it matters: Board materials and presentations showed the district’s unweighted enrollment fell from about 6,061 in 2018 to about 4,463 in 2025. ESSER spending had hidden some operating costs that now revert to the district’s M&O (maintenance and operations) budget. Whittle reported the district’s current-year accounting projects an overspend of about $564,282 and showed scenarios in which closing two campuses (Plan A) would produce a positive budget carryforward in year one and materially increase reserves in year two; alternative plans that keep buildings open but cut programs would leave the district at higher ongoing risk, Whittle said.

Board action and votes: The board first approved authorization to reduce or eliminate positions pursuant to ARS 15‑544 and district policies GCQA and GDQA; that motion was seconded and carried on a roll call vote with all voting members recorded as yes. Later the board voted to adopt Plan A (closure of Heard and Dunbar) after public comment and an executive‑session briefing. The governing board recorded the closure motion as passing unanimously.

What the plans would change: CFO Whittle and staff presented three budget scenarios labeled Plan A (two school closures and fewer district‑wide program cuts), Plan B (program and staff cuts without closures) and Plan C (a combination). The district materials and the CFO’s presentation said: - The district projects a M&O (general fund) budget of roughly $55.9 million for fiscal 2026 based on the March BSA 55 report and current assumptions. - Salaries and benefits account for roughly 86.4% of that total in the current projections; the CFO said comparable targets for a district of this size are lower (he cited an operational target near 75–78%). - Plan A’s modeling showed a projected budget carryforward of about $534,000 for the first year after closures and larger positive carryforwards in subsequent years; Plan B showed a negative carryforward in year one under current assumptions.

Public reaction and alternatives raised: Dozens of parents, staff and community members spoke at the meeting. Speakers offered competing views: some argued closures are necessary to avoid receivership and preserve core programming across the district; others described strong neighborhood ties to the affected schools and urged the board to consider alternatives.

Multiple speakers and representatives from ASU Preparatory Academy asked the board to negotiate a lease or sale of the downtown ASU Prep Fillmore campus as an immediate revenue source and a way to keep programming in the district. Betsy Fowler, identified in the meeting as head of schools for ASU Prep, said ASU’s offer would provide “millions in immediate revenue” and a continuing partnership. Jennifer Munoz, assistant principal at ASU Prep downtown, and Kim Higginbotham, principal, urged the board to take the offer seriously during public comment.

Several parents, educators and advocates pressed the board to preserve Faith North preschool services and preschool special‑education supports. Public commenters and staff repeatedly said preschool and before/after‑school programs were previously funded through ESSER and that continuing those services will require explicit budget allocations once ESSER funds expire. The CFO estimated general‑education preschool costs to the district at about $900,000 and reported before‑and‑after‑school program costs of roughly $1.6 million under the current accounting.

Board and staff direction: The board approved the authorization to begin the reduction‑in‑force process (administration will return with lists and specific nonrenewal actions per policy) and approved Plan A closures. Board members asked staff to track and report on enrollment, retention, attendance and achievement for students affected by closures, and several board members requested additional community‑driven procedures for future decisions about sites and program changes.

Votes at a glance: - Authorization to reduce and eliminate positions (ARS 15‑544; policies GCQA, GDQA) — Motion recorded (mover not specified in public record), seconded by Carmen Trujillo; roll call: Jessica Bueno (yes), Dr. Alicia Vink (yes), Carmen Trujillo (yes), Erica O'Valle (yes). Outcome: approved. Note: staff will return with specific recommended nonrenewals and position lists under board policy. - Adopt Plan A: close Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary and May Bartlett Heard Elementary and implement proposed boundary changes — Motion recorded (mover not specified), seconded by Carmen Trujillo; roll call recorded as unanimous. Outcome: approved.

What the board said about receivership: CFO Whittle told the board his experience with districts in receivership and said a state receiver’s decisions are driven by finance and can be broader than the district’s own proposals. Board and staff presenters said the board must weigh the immediate fiscal risk, the prospect of a state receiver, and the community harm of closures. Several board members described the vote as painful but necessary to avoid state intervention.

What happens next: Administrators said certified and support staff contracts will be published for initial offers and that the district will follow statutory and policy processes for reductions in force and position eliminations; staff said some displaced employees offered classroom positions through attrition and other internal openings where available. The district scheduled follow‑up reporting and asked staff to return with implementation details, timelines, and outreach plans for families and employees.

Community context: Public speakers included parents and staff who said the closures will disrupt families who rely on neighborhood schools, preschool services and before‑and‑after programs; others urged urgency to prevent deeper cuts across all schools. Multiple commenters said they would pursue community actions (including discussions of redistricting and petitions) if closures proceed. The meeting record shows sustained, strong public engagement and a split between those who urged consolidation to stabilize district finances and those who urged further community alternatives.

Ending note: Board members said they will continue to seek community input for implementation details and to monitor the district’s fiscal position. The district’s next regular governing‑board meeting was announced for April 8, 2025.