TUSD board faces decisions on layoffs and school changes

TUCSON, AZ (KOLD) – School changes, layoffs, and the budget face the Tucson Unified School District governing board tonight. But the ethnic studies issue is not on the agenda.

The public meeting starts at 6:30 p.m., and will have a call to the audience.

The board faces laying off 108 certified employees - teachers, counselors, librarians - for next year. A considerable portion of them, about 47, are from Palo Verde and Rincon high schools.

All of the faculty had to reapply for their jobs; however, no more than half could be re-hired. The remaining faculty could apply for other jobs in the district.

Holladay Intermediate Magnet School could go from having third through fifth grades to becoming a kindergarten through fifth-grade elementary school.

Borton Primary Magnet School could expand to having pre kindergarten through fifth grade. Adding more kindergarten through eighth-grade schools will also be discussed, as well as naming the new pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school on the South Side.

While Ethnic Studies is not on the agenda tonight, supporters of the program have made appearances at previous board meetings not scheduled to discuss the issue. Supporters are concerned that the district could make Mexican American Studies classes no longer count as core credit for Social Sciences and English.

While some members of the board, such as president Mark Stegeman have said that the board has an opportunity to be proactive in response to a new state law that aims to end the program, supporters have said that the district is acting too soon.

The state has yet to announce its formal decision on the program and the law is currently being challenged in court.

Watch KOLD News 13 Live at 5, 6, and 10 for updates on the board's decisions tonight. Check kold.com for late breaking updates. Follow KOLD News 13's J.D. Wallace on Twitter @jdwallaceKOLD and KOLD News 13 at @Kold_news13.