At a Chandler Unified superintendent search forum run by Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, several parents and residents urged the board to consider strategies to address declining enrollment and the fiscal impact of Arizona’s empowerment scholarship accounts (ESAs).

One attendee warned, "the state government is basically paying people to keep their kids at home," arguing that ESAs divert students and associated funding from district classrooms while fixed costs for buildings and staff remain. That speaker pressed that a superintendent will have to manage facilities sized for higher past enrollment if trends continue.

Other speakers echoed concerns about declining enrollment and suggested the district coordinate with the city and community partners on marketing to retain and attract families. A parent noted that Chandler is largely built out and that housing prices affect the inflow of young families, suggesting marketing alone will not fully reverse demographic trends.

Several commenters tied enrollment concerns to academic performance and staffing. They urged the next superintendent to focus on foundational academics — reading, math and STEM — and on teacher recruitment and retention to preserve program quality. One speaker cited a state education statute on academic focus as a rationale for returning emphasis to core subjects.

HYA said the search process will incorporate these community priorities into the leadership profile used for candidate screening and asked attendees to document concerns through surveys and comment cards. No district response to the ESA and enrollment assertions appears in the forum transcript.