Community members were audibly upset on Tuesday night after the governing board for the Scottsdale Unified School District voted to close two schools.
Pima Elementary School and Echo Canyon School will be repurposed due to declining enrollment and a projected $7.8 million to $9 million budget shortfall. The plan will displace nearly 600 students.
Before the vote, 24 people spoke at public comment, most asking the board to explore other options before closing their schools. Pima parent Kat Ingelido said the decision-making process was flawed.
“The district is pursuing a massive decision, the closure of several schools without even forming a community budget committee," Ingelido said. "How can we expect the community to trust this process when we haven’t even allowed all stakeholders to look at all ways to cut our current administrative costs?”
In October, board member Amy Carney had asked to establish an advisory committee to support decision-making on key district issues. But it ended up on the same agenda as the school closure decision. Board member Carine Werner echoed public concerns about a lack of community input.
"Clearly, our community and families and staff have been blindsided and this process has not been effective," Werner said. "We need to have an advisory committee so we can get the right people around the table to look at the right information and bring forward to the board the right decisions for Scottsdale Unified."
Werner added that the decision had largely been made by the superintendent and cabinet.
Board member Matthew Pittinsky said he does not think it's unusual for district leadership to prepare annual budgets and make recommendations for difficult structural changes.
"I think that's what we hire them to do and I want to be careful we're not shooting the messenger," Pittinsky said.
He added that while the decision was a difficult one, he thinks it was the right one.
"SUSD is nearly 25% smaller than we were 15 years ago," Pittinsky said. "That is the equivalent of 10 elementary schools smaller, yet we have closed only one program in that time frame. That is not sustainable."
Werner and Carney voted no. The remaining three board members voted yes. The district will be offering support services to help families arrange transportation and adjust to the changes.
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