The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer.
As I meet with people in the community, they ask, “Why would you want to do this?” I am not the only candidate for the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board that has been asked this question. Residents of Tucson have seen the problems in TUSD pile up over the last three decades. What is wrong with the district?
First, one of the biggest problems we have is finding enough quality candidates to run for the school board. Candidates who want only the best outcomes for the students. Many candidates have an ulterior motive to run for the board. Some run for the board as a launching platform to a higher office. Others focused on issues that do not impact scholastic achievement. Still others seem to enjoy holding the office but make little effort to promote the policy changes that could help TUSD’s performance.
Arizona statute gives school boards enormous responsibilities. TUSD’s boards have too often focused on blaming others for its problems rather than doing the harder work of trying to fix them.
Secondly, the desegregation case has been plaguing the district since 1974. The original settlement was in 1978. TUSD has spent over a billion dollars in desegregation funds over the last 40 years. In 2009, the state of Arizona capped the annual funding at $63.7 million. After all that spending, Latino, and especially African-American, student achievement in TUSD still lags far behind state averages. How long will the legislature continue to allow this spending, when the results are so meager? The board must eventually accept responsibility for TUSD’s academic performance.
Third, student discipline is a big problem, partly because the balance between consequences and “restorative practices” has tilted too far toward restorative practices, which are often poorly implemented. Poor student discipline harms teacher retention, staff morale and achievement. TUSD’s insular mode of thinking needs to open up, to allow serious study of the best practices of the most successful districts.
Fourth is the declining enrollment in the district. On average, the district has lost 1,000 students per year over the last 17 years. Once the largest district in Arizona, it has slipped to third. It has not kept pace with other traditional districts, much less the better charter schools. Addressing discipline problems, improving instruction and academic performance, and even improving the appearance of our campuses, will all help to keep children in the district.
Fifth, TUSD has administrative costs that are higher than their peer districts in the state. Chandler Unified, which recently passed TUSD in enrollment, spends 60.9% of its budget on instruction (according to the Auditor General’s most recent report), compared to TUSD’s 52%. The board deserves credit for the spending targets that have forced instructional spending above 50% in recent years, but TUSD still has far to go. TUSD’s deteriorating financial reserves, as documented by its annual audits, and recent downgrades in its credit rating, underscore the need for improved financial management.
I believe that my business experience and financial background will fill an important gap on the current board and help it to navigate TUSD’s current difficulties. The board needs representation from the business community.
For all these reasons, my goals of improving district management and improving educational outcomes for our K–12 students will not be easy.
But if the community wants long-run change in TUSD, then I pledge to make every effort to promote the reforms that will improve educational outcomes for our children and grandchildren.
