TUSD board approves several administrative cuts but rejects centralizing attendance clerks after packed public comment
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Summary
After nearly two hours of public comment opposing staff eliminations, the Tucson Unified School District governing board approved six administrative reductions aimed at saving about $3.7 million, but voted down a proposal to centralize attendance and registration technicians.
Nearly 20 community members and dozens of staff packed the Tucson Unified School District boardroom to oppose proposed budget reductions that would eliminate dozens of front-office positions and close a centralized customer service center.
The board, facing a projected multi-year deficit, voted item-by-item on Tuesday. Members approved eliminating regional itinerant substitute-teacher positions, closing the district'wide customer service center, eliminating one regional assistant superintendent office, merging the multicultural curriculum office into culturally relevant pedagogy and instruction, removing the senior director of magnet programs, and directing the Budget Advisory Committee to explore school consolidations. Across those votes the board reported near-term savings of about $3.7 million toward a $10 million target for 2026–27. The motion to centralize and reduce attendance and registration technicians failed on a 0–5 roll call vote.
Superintendent Trujillo and Chief Financial Officer Ricky Hernandez framed the measures as part of a larger plan to address a structural gap driven by the end of one-time ESSER funding, a $30 million-plus shift of dollars to voucher programs, and declining enrollment. Hernandez told the board he projects a five-year shortfall that could reach into the tens of millions if current trends continue, and presented a package of permanent reductions and department reallocations.
Speakers described attendance technicians, registrars and customer service staff as the "front line" of school operations. Daniela Ajan, speaking for Davis Romero's registrar staff, said eliminating the role would shift time-consuming and compliance-critical work onto already stretched school employees. Jerry Shuster, a substitute teacher, and Amber Stanberry, a Miles ELC teacher and parent, described the roles as central to attendance accuracy and student safety and warned that changes could reduce revenue the district receives based on attendance reporting.
Board members said they appreciated the comments and split the budget package to allow more targeted votes. President Shaw moved to divide the question and then to exclude the attendance-centralization item from tonight's approvals; other board members pressed for additional departmental detail to be returned on March 10 before final implementation. Several members urged that, where possible, reductions be achieved through attrition and vacancy management rather than immediate layoffs.
The board directed departments to return with detailed implementation plans by March 10 and asked the Budget Advisory Committee to examine longer-term options, including potential school consolidations in 2027–28.
What happens next: departments will submit line-item plans to the CFO's office by the following Monday; the board will review departmental proposals at its March 10 meeting and may vote on further reductions then.