TUSD will keep Ochoa and 3 other schools open

Outgoing TUSD superintendent Roger Pfeuffer (rear) loses his fight to close schools

TUCSON -- The Tucson Unified School District board decided tonight to not close any of the four elementary schools -- Ochoa, Rogers, Corbett and Wrightstown -- that had been proposed for closure by the superintendent.

I just returned from the standing room only meeting, and as a community activist and TUSD parent I am proud to have helped keep these schools open, especially Ochoa in my neighborhood.

Two board members, Bruce Burke and Alex Rodriguez, voted to close Wrightstown, a highly performing but low enrollment school, but they were outvoted by the three other board members.

This is an important victory for neighborhood schools, but TUSD parents and supporters will have to work hard to increase enrollment.

The struggle TUSD is having relates directly to bad decisions by the Arizona Legislature to underfund and undercut public schools.

When I'm in the Legislature, I will work hard to restore maximum state support for public schools.