Local opinion: Support Catalina Foothills School District

The upcoming Catalina Foothills School Board election has sparked significant discussion this season. A recent OpEd penned by Dan Grossenbach, who positions himself as a self-appointed savior for CFSD and is backed by an entity he calls “Save CFSD,” left me questioning whether Mr. Grossenbach was writing about the same school district my kids have attended for 22 years now. Grossenbach claims to want to recapture an academic superiority he believes has been lost in CFSD, replaced instead by failing grades and campus violence. That has not been the experience of my family, and I was taken aback by such a negative assessment of Foothills schools.

Grossenbach makes sweeping generalizations about “what concerns Foothills families,” reducing students to mere statistical data points who supposedly yearn for more resource officers and a place at U.S News & World Report’s table. Still, quality teaching and student success are often reflected in the numbers, so I decided to dissect Grossenbach’s assessment of CFSD.

Firstly, it is an unreasonable leap for Grossenbach to conclude CFSD is “failing” when newly released data from the Arizona Department of Education 2023-2024 school year awarded “A” ratings to each of CFSD schools. In fact, CFSD is the only K-12 district in Arizona to receive this distinction. CFSD’s high school is ranked #2 in the state when compared to comprehensive non-selective public high schools, with nearly 1900 students enrolled and a 96.79% graduation rate. Grossenbach’s misrepresentation of these numbers distorts the true achievements of CFHS students.

Contrary to Grossenbach’s assertion that CFSD is on a downward trend, student achievement does not appear to have been unduly affected by Covid. CFSD remained open for in-person learning more than any other district in Southern Arizona, implying an in-person benefit to student learning as reflected in state test scores. CFSD has been trending upward in combined K-12 English Language Arts scores since 2021 and continues to outpace K-12 state averages in ELA and Math.

Highly rated schools are important to Foothills families, with the majority of residents choosing to enroll in CFSD, defying Grossenbach’s claim of district abandonment. Data from the Arizona Dept. of Education shows that CFSD has one of the lowest out-of-district transfer rates in the state, with just 21% choosing to enroll in charter or other schools. Suggesting that out-of-district transfers reflect a deficiency in CFSD is a stretch; it is more likely the result of a broader cultural shift in educational choices families are making for their children statewide.

Like many school districts, CFSD has experienced demographic shifts, resulting in a decline in the population of school-aged children living within its boundaries. Yet, CFSD has met these challenges by maintaining strong enrollment across all seven of its schools, and attracting families from throughout Tucson who value CFSD’s outstanding programs. This healthy enrollment enables CFSD to keep neighborhood schools open, maximize state funding tied to enrollment, and provide a robust array of programs for all K-12 students.

CFSD prioritizes student safety and well-being, recently becoming the first school district in Arizona to implement the Centegix Security System, and introducing Parent Square, a real-time communication tool that ensures parents receive important messages quickly. CFSD has consistently enhanced safety measures, including gated campus barriers, student IDs, regular safety drills, and a partnership with law enforcement for full-time School Resource Officers at its middle and high schools. Grossenbach’s claim that CFSD schools lack safety measures simply does not align with the district’s comprehensive safety protocols and standards.

CFSD is not failing our kids.

CFSD is a vibrant school district that continues to uphold a tradition for excellent academics, quality teachers, rich extracurricular activities, and a safe, secure environment, all supported by an engaged electorate that values neighborhood schools. This election season, cancel out the noise created by disruptors and exaggerators like Dan Grossenbach. Vote to keep CFSD consistently moving forward by re-electing Eileen Jackson, and support Jacqueline Davoli and Tom Logue in their commitment to continue sound governance and oversight on the CFSD board.