As an older brother to two current TUSD students, I fear that the district that gave me the foundational academic experience and crucial resources I needed to become a first-generation college student may not be able to do the same for my siblings and other TUSD students. A looming cloud of budget deficits and financial uncertainty has left many community members worried that the Tucson Unified School District will be unable to provide the young people of our city with the education they deserve.
We have, of course, seen a major reduction in the money we receive from our state and federal government for public education. Because of this, we are unable to allocate the necessary funds to initiatives that will truly benefit the students and families of TUSD, such as increasing teacher and staff pay, expanding college- and career-readiness programs, and improving school facilities and resources.
Although TUSD is no outlier in the nationwide trend of strenuous financial conditions, our situation is certainly bolstered by the current state of the Empowerment Scholarship Account voucher system. Families are not only lured by the illusion of school choice, but we often see fraud, waste, and abuse in the use of these ESA vouchers.
Damage from school vouchers
The mismanagement and almost nonexistent regulation of vouchers have allowed almost 20% of all ESA account holders to use public school funds on banned purchases such as expensive gifts, diamond jewelry, luxurious hotels, and even condoms and lingerie.
While I support school choice and parents’ decisions to send their children to private or charter schools, it’s undeniable that these vouchers are unfairly siphoning public school funding that should be spent on our public school students. So, what is the solution?
Support Tre Rhodes for TUSD Governing Board.
While our community and district leadership must certainly fight for ESA reform, that is much easier said than done. Especially considering the current makeup of our state legislature and the influence of public education opponents on the national level. An important step towards ensuring we have a financially flourishing district for generations to come will be to find new, innovative, and sustainable funding alternatives for TUSD.
Our district must be able to survive without dependence on the state and federal government, and without burdening taxpayers with perpetual bonds or overrides.
One of the district’s biggest issues, declining enrollment, has left many district facilities underutilized. I propose that TUSD convert the district-owned real estate that is currently unused into affordable housing and mixed-use developments. Instead of letting the corpses of closed schools and other vacant properties collect dust, repurposing these buildings into thriving communities would allow the district to collect revenue from tenant rents while providing a great service to Tucson residents by creating high-quality, affordable housing, which we all know is critically needed.
Additionally, TUSD can create lively hubs for small businesses, childcare, health and wellness services, and community engagement. Now, I will admit, this is a very bold idea. However, the great thing is that we can follow models set by districts across the nation. Districts like San Francisco Unified and Eagle County School District have already converted unused facilities into hundreds of housing units for district staff and families.
One method of accomplishing this goal involves a long-term ground lease. This would allow TUSD to retain land ownership while partnering with development partners to finance, construct, and manage properties. The district would receive recurring lease revenue and could negotiate a share of operating income. The implementation of this initiative would, of course, require the creation of new community advisory committees to ensure transparency, accountability, and community partnership.
This article originally appeared in the Tucson Daily Star.
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Add to that the former buildings of the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind. That campus is a prime candidate for redevelopment into affordable housing.