Put a Student — Tre’Davon Rhodes — on the TUSD School Board

Following an Arizona tradition of electing students to school boards, Tre’Davon Rhodes announced he is running for the Tucson Unified School District board.

“I am running for the TUSD Governing Board to ensure that, like me, all students have the resources and opportunities they need to be successful,” Rhodes said in his launch statement.

“I was born here in Tucson and completed all of my schooling through TUSD, graduating from Sabino High School in 2024. Growing up as a free-lunch kid in a single-parent home, my public schools gave me the foundation to become a first-generation college student.”

“Today, I study Political Science and Economics at the University of Arizona, and I am committed to giving back to the district that helped shape me,” Rhodes said.

As former Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild put it, “Tre’Davon is an impressive young leader and brings a much-needed, fresh perspective to our local public schools.”

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Join Tre’ on his journey to become the youngest member of the TUSD Governing Board in its history. Click here to donate to his historic campaign.

Priorities:

• Adapting to a new generation of learners.
• Building pathways to success.
• Creating stronger learning environments.

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A vocal advocate

Rhodes is a widely recognized advocate in Tucson. He recently served as an at-large member of the Board for Democrats of Greater Tucson.

Rhodes brings a message advocating for modernizing TUSD’s approach to student learning, ensuring that students are engaged and prepared for their future beyond TUSD.  He spoke at the “Inspiring Generations of Democratic Leaders” sponsored by Democrats of Greater Tucson on October 24.

He called on his young peers to avoid complacency and cynicism. “We’ve got to meet young people where they are — on TikTok, on campus, even in gaming chatrooms — but also in person. Knock on their doors. Invite them to meetings. Make them feel they belong.”

He also spoke on The UAZ Podcast in September. He is an active member of the African American Democratic Caucus of Tucson and the UA Aspiring Black Lawyers club. Rhodes is a vocal advocate for coalition building across diverse communities.

“The UA campus is in the middle of wards five and six. Whatever legislation or policy is passed at the city council level will affect how the campus operates and how students live their lives in the area,” he said on the UAZ Podcast. “State legislation that is going to be affecting how much funding the U of A is getting here, how much funding your public schools are getting. You might be concerned that they’re not getting an adequate education because their school doesn’t have the right amount of funding.”

Rhodes frequently appears at local public events, is considered a rising voice for youth involvement in politics, and is known for his thoughtful, passionate remarks about economic justice, community empowerment, and building intergenerational coalitions for progressive change.

Rhodes, age 19, is a sophomore at the University of Arizona, majoring in political science and economics, and worked as an intern with Tucson City Councilman Paul Cunningham. He also served as an after-school teacher at La Paloma Academy’s central campus in Tucson.

Raised by a single mother and growing up on food stamps and in public housing, Rhodes draws on personal experience to inform both his political views and his activism. He credits Barack Obama as a childhood inspiration, particularly for the sense of belonging Obama represented for people from underrepresented backgrounds in political life.

History of students on school boards

Rhodes would be the latest among a series of young people elected to their local school boards.

• Hunter Holt was elected to the Marana Unified School District Governing Board at age 18 in 2020, advocating for improved school funding, expanded career and technical education, and policies that prioritize students and teachers.
• Armando Montero ran for the Tempe Union High School District Governing Board at age 18 while still in high school and was elected in 2020. He worked to pass a new mental health policy and improve student-to-counselor ratios, and became president of the governing board in 2023.
• Markus Ceniceros was elected to the Littleton Elementary School District Governing Board in November 2022, at age 18, while a senior at West Point High School in Avondale. His platform focused on mental health support for students, teachers, and staff; bringing clean energy to the district through electric buses and solar panels; and teacher retention.
• Nicolas Yendrzeski was elected to the Maricopa Unified School District governing board in 2024. Yendrzeski was an 18-year-old high school graduate and current Arizona State University political science major at the time of his election.​

Enrollment crisis, voucher drain, and looming closures

TUSD serves 41,000 students in 90 schools. It had 2,850 full-time classroom teachers as of the 2023-2024 school year. TUSD budgeted $720 million for fiscal year 2024 (which ended in June), and spent $650 million.

Pima County School Superintendent Dustin Williams delivered a stark warning at a Democrats of Greater Tucson meeting: Urban schools are headed toward an unprecedented wave of consolidations and closures as early as this November, driven by plummeting birth rates, explosive growth in voucher programs, and a billion-dollar taxpayer subsidy with zero accountability.

“As a first-generation student, I know the importance of strong public schools. Being a TUSD graduate and the older brother of two current TUSD students, I understand the challenges our district faces. I believe that with a fresh perspective and new ideas, we can provide the district that our students deserve,” Rhodes said.

Running for reelection to the TUSD board in 2026 are Jennifer Eckstrom and controversial Val Romero. Lucas Verdugo has also filed a statement of interest. Candidates must collect 400 signatures by July 8, 2024, to appear on the ballot.

For more information about Tre’Davon Rhodes, see:

Campaign website: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/tre-rhodes-for-tusd

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trefortusd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583607772184