🪶 TUSD Board Approves Climate Plan, School Sales, and Indigenous Rights Protections: May 2025 Meeting Analysis
"Zero Tolerance" for Blocking Native Regalia at Graduation: TUSD Board Takes Stand on Cultural Rights. 29 tribal nations represented in Class of 2025.
Board Member Sadie Shaw didn't mince words in her response: "I personally will have a zero tolerance policy for any staff who attempts to prevent a student from wearing cultural regalia because it has happened too many times."
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
🌟 The TUSD school board had a big meeting where they made several important decisions. They voted to spend money on a plan to make schools better for the environment 🌱, which will save money on electricity 💡 and water 💧 in the future. They're selling two old school buildings 🏫🏫 that aren't being used anymore.
The board also made rules to ensure Native American students can wear special traditional clothes at graduation 🎓. They talked about how many students are missing school days 🏫❌, which costs the district a lot of money 💸. They also changed the rules about school buses 🚌 so more students can ride them. Some students came to the meeting to tell the board what they thought was important, especially about helping the environment 🌍.
🗝️ Takeaways
📊 Override polling shows remarkable improvement in TUSD's public perception, with 60% support after voters receive information about costs and benefits, potentially opening the door for the first override in over 20 years
💸 Student absenteeism is costing the district nearly $5 million annually, with high school students (especially freshmen and sophomores) missing the most days
🌍 The board approved $250,000 for a Climate Action Plan consultant in a 4-1 vote, marking a significant step toward implementing the district's comprehensive climate resolution
🏢 Two former school properties—Carson Middle School ($3.7M) and Lyons Elementary ($1.75M)—will be sold to Summit Development Services for either community-focused or residential development
🪶 Native American Student Services has created a comprehensive program to prevent graduation regalia conflicts, including documentation tools, quarterly meetings with every Native senior, and partnerships with tribal nations
🚍 Transportation policy changes will reduce the walking distance requirement from 1.5 miles to 1 mile and eliminate restrictions on busing for open enrollment students
💼 Board member Shaw questioned administrative contract approvals, highlighting concerns about adequate board oversight of leadership positions
TUSD Board Meeting Analysis: Funding Battles, Climate Action Victory, and Cultural Respect
The Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) Governing Board convened on Tuesday evening, May 13th, 2025, at Duffy Community Center, unleashing a nearly three-hour marathon meeting that revealed both hopeful signs of progress and troubling reminders of the district's ongoing struggles. From property sales that will bring in millions to a contested climate action funding vote that splits along familiar ideological lines, the meeting highlighted the complex tug-of-war between financial pressures and educational values that defines public education in Arizona.
Another Tuesday, another board meeting where working-class families and teachers have to wait until evening to advocate for basic needs while the powers-that-be debate budgets down to the penny. The revolutionary audacity of asking for culturally appropriate graduation ceremonies and climate-safe classrooms in 2025...
The Players Behind the Dais
President Jennifer Eckstrom presided over a full board that included:
Natalie Luna Rose - Who demonstrated consistent progressive voting patterns throughout the evening
Val Romero - The lone dissenter on climate action funding, citing financial concerns
Dr. Ravi Shah - A strong advocate for climate initiative investment
Sadie Shaw - Who took an uncompromising stance on cultural adornment rights
Superintendent Dr. Gabriel Trujillo led the administrative team, with Chief Financial Officer Ricky Hernández delivering sobering financial news, Director of Native American Student Services Roxanne Begay-James advocating for cultural respect, and Operations Program Manager Bryant Nodine facilitating property sales expected to bring nearly $5.5 million into district coffers.
Override Polling: A Glimmer of Community Support
Justin from Javelina Consulting handed things off to Rick Sklarz from FM3 Research, who presented surprisingly positive polling data regarding a potential override election. This may represent a rare opening in a political climate that is typically hostile to public education funding.
"While it's not a surprise that things like inflation and rising prices and the cost of living are highly concerning to voters," Sklarz noted, "issues related to education specifically—states cutting funding for public schools and shortage of qualified classroom teachers—are on par if not more concerning to your voters than economic issues."
Imagine that—people actually valuing education despite the right-wing narrative that schools are wasteful money pits. Maybe decades of teacher shortages and crumbling infrastructure have finally made an impression?
The data showed remarkable improvements in public perception of TUSD:
Teachers enjoy a commanding 3-to-1 approval rating
Neighborhood schools flipped from underwater to a 53% to 29% approval ratio
The district as a whole transformed from net negative perceptions to a solid 52% approval vs. 34% disapproval
Most importantly for district finances, initial support for an override stood at 53% yes, with another 8% "leaning yes" before detailed information. After voters learned the override would cost $203 annually per typical homeowner and fund teacher salaries, classroom programs, and technology, support climbed to a robust 60%.
"What's notable is the 'definitely yes' percentage has increased as well," Sklarz explained. "The certainty with which people are voting in favor of the measure is becoming stronger as they learn more information."
Even when presented with opposition messaging focused on the recent bond passage and economic uncertainty, support maintained a majority position. The most persuasive arguments centered on early childhood education, accountability, STEM programs, competitive teacher salaries, and keeping control local rather than surrendering it to state politicians.
Translation: People are tired of watching their children's schools deteriorate while the legislature funnels money to private education. Who would have thought?
"We Can't Force Students Not to Be Indigenous": The Cultural Adornments Battle
In what should be the most straightforward agenda item, the board reviewed graduation policies, paying special attention to cultural adornments. This was a response to previous incidents in which Native American students were prevented from wearing traditional regalia at graduation ceremonies.
Tucson High School graduate, and Native American, has his sacred eagle feather taken from him at graduation
Tucson, Arizona is the land of proclamations, where every government from the county to the school boards reads a little proclamation about the Native Land they are on. Then they ignore everything they just read and continue to t…
Dr. Trujillo outlined the district's graduation policy basics, emphasizing that high school ceremonies are mandatory, student participation is optional, and participants must be in "good standing" by meeting graduation requirements and not being under suspension.
Then came the presentation from Roxanne Begay-James, Director for Native American Student Services, who detailed extensive work to prevent a repeat of last year's incidents. Her department identified 29 tribal nations represented among this year's graduating class and implemented comprehensive measures:
"At the end of the last school year, after the incident happened with our students, we came together as a staff and we said, 'What is it that we are going to do to make sure that this does not happen again?'" Begay-James explained.
The department created an "Indigigrad" program with quarterly meetings for every Native American senior, partnered with the Water Protectors Legal Collective to develop a "Declaration of Intent to Wear Regalia" form, and created "My Rights and Regalia" inserts for graduation caps.
"This is a way that we have shared with our students and families," she said. "We have let them know we can't be everywhere. This is a way for yourselves to become self-advocates. This is a way for you to use your voice."
It shouldn't take this much effort for students to express their cultural identity at their own graduation. The colonial mindset runs so deep that indigenous students need legal declarations and rights cards just to wear meaningful cultural items for a three-hour ceremony.
Board Member Shaw didn't mince words in her response: "I personally will have a zero tolerance policy for any staff who attempts to prevent a student from wearing cultural regalia because it has happened too many times."
Dr. Shaw raised an important question about extending similar protections to non-Native cultural expressions. Dr. Trujillo explained that the current policy gives mandatory protection to Native American regalia while other cultural adornments require approval from regional assistant superintendents.
That's the system in a nutshell—automatic rights for some, permission slips for others. Always the hierarchy, always the gatekeepers.
Board Member Shaw also questioned whether schools could impose graduation requirements beyond the board has approval, such as requiring FAFSA completion to participate in ceremonies. Dr. Trujillo confirmed that such requirements are not permitted.
The Financial Hemorrhage of Empty Seats
Mr. Hernández, the district's CFO, delivered a stark presentation on student absenteeism's financial impact, revealing how attendance directly affects district funding.
"Last fiscal year, there were actually 60 students who met the 10 consecutive unexcused absences [threshold]. Those students were eventually dropped. We lost just under $335,000 base level support funding," Hernández explained.
The numbers grow dramatically when considering all absences:
Students missing 10-15 days cost over $2 million
High school absences resulted in nearly $5 million in losses
Freshmen averaged 10 days absent per student; sophomores averaged 11
In total, students with more than 10 absences cost the district $4.8 million in base funding alone
This system actively punishes the schools and students who most need resources. The district loses money precisely when a student needs more support—creating a perverse incentive structure where those most in need get the least help.
When Mr. Armenta presented on the district's Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) approach to absenteeism, board members showed visible frustration at the lack of concrete strategies and data.
Dr. Shaw was particularly pointed: "I think we need to do a better job than the governing board to be really clear on what we're expecting with these presentations... What we really need is a strategy. I got nothing on strategy tonight... Do you think that it's working?"
When Armenta responded, "only time will tell," Dr. Shaw pushed harder: "I'm a data person. I want to have proof that it's working. I want someone saying, 'Yeah, this is what we're doing and it's supposed to work and we'll get best practices from other schools.'"
Board Member Shaw requested a more comprehensive presentation in the future. "I hope that this can come back to us at a future meeting and bulk up the presentation, and also include things like staffing levels for drop-up prevention and whether we have truant officers or not."
This is public education's dark irony—we measure the problem obsessively but rarely implement evidence-based solutions. Four million dollars walking out the door while administrators can't tell the board if their strategy is working.
Climate Action Victory: A Rare Win for Future Generations
The evening's most contentious vote concerned approving $249,095 (rounded to $250,000) for a Climate Action and Sustainability Plan consultant—a direct implementation of the district's groundbreaking climate resolution passed in October 2024.
Multiple students, graduates, and community members spoke in support during public comment:
Oji Sanji, a U of A student and University High graduate, testified: "Back in October, TUSD adopted what is now its policy, ECF, its Climate Action Resolution that is the most comprehensive of its kind in the country. With that one action, TUSD became a beacon of hope for students. But while TUSD has now committed to achieving [net] zero, it has yet to make a concrete plan to execute on that goal."
Sanji emphasized both environmental and financial benefits: "The work that the district needs to do to implement this resolution is actions like using more efficient appliances, purchasing cheaper and cleaner energy, and better insulating buildings. All of that will save the district millions of dollars."
Board Member Romero, the lone dissenter, objected to the expenditure: "Unfortunately, I'm having a hard time voting to spend a quarter of a million dollars on a consultant on a program that's already expected to cost us over $100 million with our budget shortfalls, discrepancy shortfalls in wages for site administration, declining enrollment, teacher salaries..."
Dr. Shah countered with a powerful economic argument: "Twenty-four million dollars a year. That's larger than I remember it being," he remarked after hearing the district spends approximately $25 million annually on utilities and fuel. "Even $25 million, 1%, if you can save 1% of our utility costs with higher efficiency and better insulation and other things, that would pay for this consultant in one year."
Energy Project Manager Tina Cook confirmed: "You're saving those operation and maintenance costs as well, not just the utility savings from doing the upgrades based on the technology going back into the building for the products that you're using."
The measure passed 4-1, with Romero opposed—a rare victory for forward-thinking policy in an often reactive governance environment.
It's telling that investing in our children's future is still considered controversial in 2025, while millions in spending on outdated, inefficient infrastructure goes unquestioned. The climate crisis is already here, and our kids know it—yet we still debate whether to even make a plan while the world literally burns.
Property Sales: Cashing Out on Closed Campuses
In less contentious business, the board unanimously approved selling two former school properties to Summit Development Services, LLC:
Carson Middle School at 7777 East Stella Road will bring in $3.7 million if developed as a career training center, or $3.1 million for residential development. The 95,000 square foot school sits on 17.6 acres.
Lyons Elementary School at 7555 East Dogwood Road will sell for $1.75 million under either of two development scenarios: independent living for veterans or residential development.
Board Member Romero, who attended Lyons as a student, moved the approval of its sale: "As the only board member that went to Lyons, I would like to move the item. And also my classmate, Bobby Australia and Rachel Romero, who also went to Lyons."
Every school sale tells the story of budget cuts, enrollment declines, and the gradual hollowing of public education. These buildings once housed learning communities—now they're assets on a balance sheet.
Transportation Policy: Expanding Access and Competition
The board unanimously approved the first reading of revisions to Policy EEA (Student Transportation in School Buses) designed to expand services in two critical ways:
Reducing the walk radius from 1.5 miles to 1 mile for elementary and K-8 schools
Removing restrictions on transportation for open enrollment students
Dr. Trujillo framed the first change as an accessibility issue: "That half mile could mean the world to a family," he noted, especially when the route includes major arteries like "22nd, Speedway, or Swan."
For the second change, he was explicit about competitive strategy: "The second prong of our approach is to make transportation aim the strength of our fleet outwards towards competing school districts in neighborhoods and other districts."
Finally, acknowledging reality—families choose schools partly based on practical concerns like transportation. After years of charter schools poaching TUSD students with door-to-door service, the district is fighting back.
Human Resources Shell Game: Administrative Musical Chairs
In personnel matters, the board approved:
Elaine House as Interim Director of Exceptional Education, returning from retirement
Herman House as Interim Director of Interscholastics
Contracts for 162 Return to Work Teachers, Counselors, School Psychologists, and second semester teacher hires
Contracts for 37 non-bargaining administrators and leadership team members
The administrative contracts sparked debate when Board Member Shaw moved to table the item: "They must have been put up today. But I certainly did not get a chance to review them. I think this speaks to a larger issue of, you know, people being approved without proper vetting by the board."
When the motion to table failed 2-3, the item passed 4-0-1, with Shaw abstaining.
The revolving door of administrators continues while teacher retention remains a crisis. Notice how quickly administrative positions get filled while teacher vacancies linger? Priorities revealed through actions, not words.
The People Speak: Public Comments Highlight Community Concerns
The call to audience featured 21 speakers presenting diverse concerns:
Sierra Titus, a University of Portland sophomore and University High graduate, advocated for the GATE program: "These were some of the most formative years of my education thanks to the brilliance and care of my teachers, the individualized instruction and the accelerated learning and opportunities for social development."
Joshua Chuk raised serious concerns about GATE reorganization: "Some of our teachers, including myself, have caseloads of 110 or more students and some of us are still struggling with limited space or space issues. We're also seeing GATE classes swell from 13 to 20 students far beyond the ideal size of 8 to 10."
Rebecca Partington delivered disturbing testimony about a principal at Monzo Elementary: "When my son was in fourth grade, another student sexually harassed him and a female student... The superintendent's office has shown that they are not willing to protect their students or their support staff."
Frank Wassenhauser, a principal, addressed pay disparities: "10,000, 15,000, and over 20,000. Those numbers represent documented pay discrepancies in surrounding districts. Sadly, the longer we remain loyal to TUSD, the greater the discrepancy. In what professional structure does this make sense?"
Daphne Madison, a preschool teacher, presented over 100 cards supporting an override that would fund preschool: "Every year preschool asks parents if they are coming back and over 678 parents took the survey... Between 591 and 678 kids are staying into TUSD. So it's been a great way to get that attrition going and get them acclimated to being in school."
The call to audience remains the rawest expression of democracy in these meetings—where the community's real concerns emerge unfiltered before being processed through the bureaucratic machine.
Budget Revision: Numbers Don't Lie
Mr. Hernández presented the third and final budget revision for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, incorporating several adjustments:
Increase of the Revenue Control Limit: $294,928
Increase in Desegregation M&O budget: $477,469
Decrease in one-time supplement for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch: $161,485
Decrease in Prop 123 allocation: $48,337
Decrease in one-time DAA supplement: $1,540
Decrease in Desegregation Capital budget: $477,469
More alarming was his financial outlook, which painted a picture of gathering storm clouds:
"We do not expect a state budget before Memorial Day," Hernández warned, noting the legislature has adjourned for several weeks. He pointed to declining state resources, with tax revenues showing only modest increases while "the state is going to spend about $400 million more than they have today than they will have in 12 months."
The district faces multiple external threats including potential tariffs, increased deportations affecting enrollment, federal spending cuts, and a 30-60% probability of recession starting in late 2025.
Public education financing in Arizona remains perpetually on the brink—by design. The structural defunding creates the scarcity that then justifies privatization. Predictable and deliberate.
The Road Ahead: Hope Amid Struggle
As the meeting concluded after 8:30 PM, the district's complex reality came into focus: genuine progress on cultural responsiveness, a climate plan moving forward despite opposition, community support growing for an override, but persistent challenges of absenteeism, funding shortfalls, and administrative accountability.
The override polling offers perhaps the most tangible ray of hope—evidence that the community may be ready to invest in its schools again after years of retrenchment. The climate action funding signals that forward-thinking policy can still prevail even in difficult financial times.
Yet the endemic absenteeism and its massive financial toll highlight deep structural issues that fancy programs and policies alone cannot solve. When students vote with their feet by not showing up, they're telling us something profound about the relevance and quality of the education being offered.
Public education remains the single most democratic institution in our society—the place where all children, regardless of background, are supposed to find opportunity and support. The battles fought at Tuesday's board meeting will determine whether that promise remains viable for Tucson's children.
In a state where public education has been underfunded and undermined for decades, it takes revolutionary persistence to keep showing up, to keep fighting for every dollar, every program, every child. The struggle continues, but so does the resistance.
How You Can Get Involved
The issues discussed at this meeting directly impact every family in TUSD. Here's how you can make your voice heard:
Attend board meetings - The next regular TUSD board meeting is scheduled for May 27, 2025, when the board will consider whether to call for a special override election.
Contact your board members - Share your thoughts on these critical issues at governingboard@tusd1.org.
Support community organizations - Groups like the Arizona Youth Climate Coalition are making a real difference in district policy.
Stay informed - Subscribe to Three Sonorans Substack to keep receiving these in-depth analyses of the decisions that affect our schools. Your subscription helps support independent journalism and ensures community voices aren't drowned out by corporate interests.
What do you think about TUSD's handling of cultural adornments at graduation? Should the policy mandating acceptance be expanded beyond Native American regalia to include other cultural expressions?
With millions being lost to chronic absenteeism, what community-based solutions might help get more students to school consistently? What responsibilities do families, schools, and the broader community share in addressing this crisis?
Your perspective matters—share your thoughts in the comments below, and help build the community conversation we need to strengthen our public schools.
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