Local Opinion: TUSD is a visionary district on a mission

Tucson Unified School District’s updated Strategic Plan, linked from the district’s homepage, shows evidence of a strong vision for students and educators: “Inspiring a diverse community to connect, learn, innovate, and lead for a better world.”

With future-focused learning, TUSD aims to prepare youth for living, working, and participating in a technology-infused global economy.

Unfortunately, TUSD must strive to do so with inadequate support from the Arizona Legislature. In 2020, Arizona spent just $8,785 per student and ranks 48th in the nation, according to the Census Bureau Report.

TUSD serves a unique population of students. There is no other urban school district in the entire U.S. with similar demographics, number of students qualifying for free meals or who are English learners, with an annual per student funding level below $11,000, according to the SLIDE Research Project’s district profile tool using National Center for Education Statistics data.

TUSD’s new Mission Statement reinforces the district’s determination to meet the many needs of its diverse student body: “Our community prepares all students to become responsible, ethical, and engaged global citizens by creating relevant, dynamic, and joyful educational experiences that embrace cultural diversity.”

Regrettably, our governor and Legislature’s historic underfunding for K-12 shows they are unwilling to invest in our students’ education. When voters clearly demonstrate our commitment to our K-12 students and educators, as we did by passing Proposition 208, it is unconscionable for the majority of representatives in Phoenix to cast aside our will.

All members of this community can comment on the TUSD Strategic Plan by completing the Community Feedback Form. I appreciate having had the opportunity to do so. I applaud Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo, TUSD administrators and educators, community partners, and governing board members who have been involved in this process. They have taken on the challenging task of striving for excellence, innovation, integrity and diversity in a caring community. With community support, TUSD’s values and goals can move the district forward.

That support necessitates that all members of this community continue appealing to the majority in the Legislature to provide all district public schools with the funding needed to offer students the outstanding learning environment and opportunities described in TUSD’s Strategic Plan.

If you are an Arizona voter who cares about the future of our state, it is your responsibility to support decision-makers who make the education of our youth and the development of a well-prepared workforce and citizenry their top priority.

Please join me in carefully considering who we are sending to Phoenix to represent us. Let’s help our district public school students succeed.