This Tucson elementary pulled from TUSD's school closure plan

Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo made the decision after meeting with Dunham parents and staff and reviewing the school’s academic performance, according to a letter sent to Dunham families Friday.

Dunham, 9850 E. 29th St., earned an A from the Arizona Department of Education for the third consecutive year, making it one of the district’s highest-performing schools, the letter said.

Dunham has an enrollment utilization rate of 41%, according to district data, which refers to how many students are enrolled in a school compared to the physical capacity or design limit of that school building. It has a 93% classroom utilization rate, the percentage of classrooms that are being used out of the total classrooms on campus, and a 33% capture rate for students in its area. The school, designed for 350, had 137 students in the 2024-25 school year.

Marshall Elementary, 9066 E. 29th St., has a 43% enrollment utilization rate, 100% classroom utilization rate and 35% capture rate. In the 2024-25 school year, the elementary, designed for 550, had 269 students.

Marshall received a B from ADE for last school year.

Trujillo said district leaders will work with the Dunham community on short- and long-term plans to promote the school.

Dunham was among eight schools recommended for closure as TUSD considers consolidating campuses amid declining enrollment.

The seven remaining schools are Cragin, Hudlow, Steele, Cavett and Collier elementary schools and Magee and Secrist middle schools. The TUSD governing board is expected to vote on the rest of the recommendations in December.