TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — School enrollment is down throughout the state. That means some school districts have to start thinking ahead to changes that must be made.
The Tucson Unified School District (TUSD), Southern Arizona's largest, covers about 230 square miles, according to Superintendent Dr. Gabriel Trujillo. He explains the district is at a point where they must start making administrative cuts.
During the 100th day of enrollment in the 2023-24 school year, approximately 39,506 students were enrolled in grades K-12 throughout TUSD. For the 2024-25 school year, 38,551 K-12 grade students were enrolled. Trujillo acknowledges that the district has been seeing a steady decrease in school enrollment.
"We’re cutting in administration areas like administration positions and admin expenditures," he says. "Doesn’t necessarily mean the superintendent or principal, it means goods and services you spend your money on outside of the classroom. It could be on grounds, custodial, clerical support, payroll, HR.”
He hopes the district doesn't get to a point where they have to make budget cuts that impact what happens inside the classroom.
"My belief is that you never go into the classroom, never make a cut in the classroom, never make a cut in a school unless it is an ultimate last resort," Trujillo explains. "Right now we’re not in last-resort territory."
Another factor Trujillo points out is the demographics of Pima County. The Census Reporter states the median age in Pima County is about 40 years old.
"We know that Pima County is getting older," Trujillo says. "About 40% of homeowners inside the TUSD boundary on the Eastside are about 55 years old. They’re not a K-12 school-going family. But, look at all of the schools we have on the Eastside that are in aging neighborhoods. Which no longer have a viable K-12 population, so that's bad news for enrollment."
According to the Arizona Department of Education, school enrollments peaked in 2019 at 1,150,000 students. Now, enrollments across the state are about what they were in 2012.
To compare other neighboring school districts, Sahuarita Unified's current K-12th grade enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year is 6,153. For the 2025-2026 school year, the current enrollment is 6,074. However, that enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is still in progress. Sierra Vista Unified School District's current enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year is 3,926 students.
Neilsburg reports that Pima County's population under 18 was 20.83%, compared to 22.51% nationwide.
Trujillo says another factor contributing to TUSD's enrollment decline is empowerment scholarship accounts.
“We know that there are about 3,300 hundred families inside that massive boundary that are taking empowerment scholarship accounts to attend private tuition charging schools,” he says.
Trujillo says sooner or later, the school board will need to take a hard look at the big picture — and ask if the way the district is laid out still makes sense when it comes to keeping schools full.