Board approves repurposing Puma Elementary as Level D special‑education campus over objections

The Scottsdale Unified School District governing board narrowly approved a plan to repurpose Puma Elementary into a district-run Level D special-education school, voting 3–2 after lengthy discussion about cost, family choice and programmatic risk.

Assistant Superintendent Leah Mitchell and special-education lead Dr. Williams described the plan as a way to serve the district's most complex students on-site and to reduce reliance on expensive private placements. Mitchell said the district expects only modest immediate savings — "a couple hundred thousand" — largely from transportation reductions, while longer-term cost control would come from bringing services in-house.

Dr. Williams said other districts have pursued similar public Level D programs and that Scottsdale already had outreach from neighboring districts exploring intergovernmental agreements to place students at a district-operated site. "Many valley public districts are looking to find options that aren't private day options," he said.

Opponents on the board and several public commenters warned that prior district efforts had struggled and that the district lacks proven long-term success operating this level of program. One board member said the plan felt like "uncharted territory for SUSD" and cited concerns about turnover and whether families would retain choice.

The motion to repurpose Puma passed 3–2. District staff said they will meet with families individually, phase transitions, and report regular updates to the board during implementation.