Phoenix Elementary District holds public hearing on proposed closures of Dunbar and Heard amid projected enrollment drop and budget shortfalls

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Elementary District Governing Board held a public hearing Feb. 4 to collect community comment on a district plan to close Paul Laurence Dunbar School and May Bartlett Hurd Elementary School as officials said declining enrollment and budget shortfalls threaten district operations.

Superintendent Dr. Gonzales told the board the district must “balance our district budget” and aim to carry forward about 10% of its maintenance-and-operations budget — roughly $5,000,000 — to remain financially healthy. He presented a set of proposals, called Plan A and Plan B, and said Plan A would close Dunbar and Heard and pursue lease opportunities for the vacated buildings to produce recurring revenue. The board did not take a vote on closures at the meeting; the session was convened as a public hearing required by state statute.

The superintendent said the district’s enrollment has fallen from just over 7,000 students in 2015–16 to about 5,000 in 2024–25, and projected further decline to about 4,000 students by 2033. He said the district carried forward $2,615,000 in 2023–24 but currently projects carrying forward only $82,000 for next year if spending stays the same and that “if we do nothing to change our spending, we will be looking at approximately $8,500,000 in a deficit.”

Dr. Gonzales described Plan A as a combination of closing Dunbar and Heard (a savings he estimated at about $2,100,000) plus additional budget cuts and leasing district properties to generate recurring revenue (he cited potential lease revenue of about $2,200,000). He said even with the proposed closures, the district would still need around $3,000,000 in additional cuts or revenue to reach the recommended carry-forward target.

The presentation emphasized instructional impacts of small, “tall, skinny” campuses with one teacher per grade level, noting some schools lack enough students for teacher collaboration and specialized course offerings. Dr. Gonzales said consolidation would allow three to five teachers per grade, expand course offerings at middle schools and make transportation routes more efficient.

Board members and district staff said the public hearing materials and presentation would be made available in Spanish, that the district is compiling a running FAQ on the reimagining process, and that staff will follow up on board questions raised during the hearing.

Public comment stretched for more than an hour and included parents, teachers, principals and union leaders. Speakers divided along support and opposition lines:

- Several parents and community members urged the board to keep Heard open. Jennifer Cervantes said she did “not agree with this decision,” and several public commenters described Heard as a safe neighborhood school with community ties. One commenter questioned whether the district had given families adequate notice and asked whether the district had examined alternatives to closure.

- Staff and district leaders, including Paul Laurence Dunbar principal Nadine Gofonier and several teachers and support staff, described difficult operational constraints at small schools and expressed support for consolidation as a way to maintain programming and retain teachers. Alicia Zalvis, director of exceptional student services, said small campuses limit collaboration among special education providers and urged the board to “support these strategic closures and sustainable changes.”

- Some commenters called for greater transparency from the board and district about the numbers behind Plan A and Plan B. Board member Dr. Vink said she is requesting “detailed numbers” for both plans and an independent equity audit.

A range of specific figures and program impacts were cited during the presentation and public comment: the district currently serves about 5,000 students; Dunbar was described as having roughly 120 students and a single teacher per grade level; Heard was described as built in 1975 and having persistent academic challenges and lower community development nearby. The district said Plan B — maintaining all campuses — would require roughly $12,000,000 in cuts over two years, potentially eliminating some preschool programming, before- and after-school programs, newcomer services and student support positions.

Board business at the same meeting included routine votes: the board adopted the meeting agenda and approved the consent agenda and several personnel/contract items (see “Votes at a glance” below). Those votes were separate from the public-hearing portion of the meeting; no vote on school closures took place Feb. 4.

The board and superintendent closed the hearing by encouraging additional attendance at the remaining public meetings and by reiterating that the session was the first of four public hearings on closures. The district listed the next scheduled public hearings: Feb. 13 at Heard, Feb. 22 at Capital (10 a.m.), and Feb. 25 at Dunbar (5:15 p.m.).

Quotes (attributed to speakers who spoke at the hearing):

- “We have to balance our district budget. In order to have a healthy district balance, we should carry forward about 10% of our maintenance and operation budget,” Superintendent Dr. Gonzales said in his presentation.

- “If we do nothing to change our spending, we will be looking at approximately $8,500,000 in a deficit,” Dr. Gonzales said.

- “Closing schools is never an easy choice,” Leslie Pena said in an electronic public comment, while urging trust in district leadership’s efforts to avoid a fiscal crisis.

- “I would like to encourage the board to stand together and make the challenging decisions with unity so that we can move forward for our community,” Julie Robbins, a district social worker, said in support of the reimagine process.

- “I do not agree with this decision,” Jennifer Cervantes said, speaking as a parent of a Heard student and asking how families can block the closure.

Ending — next steps: No vote on closures was taken on Feb. 4. The district will publish materials and an FAQ online, hold at least three further public hearings (Feb. 13, Feb. 22, Feb. 25) and said staff would follow up on board questions. Any formal action to close schools would be a separate board decision subject to board procedures and applicable state law.