Scottsdale parents are raising their concerns over a school district plan that could leave multiple schools closed or repurposed after the end of the school year.
Nearly 100 parents spoke at a four-hour board meeting on the various closure proposals on Sept. 22.
"I am sure you wish there was an option that could keep all our schools open. And I understand, because I also wish for things. I wish our state Legislature funded our schools the way they deserve," Sarah Kuchenbecker, a parent of two kids in the district, told to the board.
Scottsdale Unified School District is considering three different plans that could affect these seven schools:
- Anasazi Elementary School (K-5)
- Copper Ridge School (K-8)
- Cheyenne Traditional School (K-8)
- Desert Canyon Middle School (6-8)
- Laguna Prep (pre-K-5)
- Redfield Elementary School (pre-K-5)
- Desert Canyon Elementary School (pre-K-5)
The three plans would affect the schools differently.
The first would close Laguna Prep and Redfield Elementary
and would affect more than 2,000 students. Those students and programs would move to the current Cheyenne Traditional campus, while Cheyenne Traditional would move to the current Copper Ridge campus.
The second option would close Desert Canyon elementary and middle schools and move those students to Copper Ridge. It would also close Laguna Prep. The plan would affect over 2,000 students.
The third option would close Copper Ridge and Laguna Prep, which would affect between 700 and 900 students, according to district documents.
The district also is considering several different boundary changes that were proposed along with each option. The governing board is expected to make a final vote Oct. 6.
Why is Scottsdale Unified considering school closures?
The district is moving forward with school closures due to the same factors affecting districts across the Valley and country: declining enrollment and rising costs to maintain facilities.
According to district data, enrollment has steadily declined since 2010, ultimately resulting in a loss of over 6,000 students by the 2025-2026 school year. The district linked those enrollment trends to an aging population, as well as increasing competition from other forms of education, like charter or private schools.
A district presentation at the Sept. 8 governing board meeting showed the seven schools had a physical capacity to hold more than 7,000 students in May 2026. But combined, they had just 3,300 students.
The district closed Pima and Echo Canyon elementary schools at the end of the 2025-2026 school year after the enrollment for each dipped to below 300.
Parents advocate for different schools at public hearing
At a Sept. 22 public hearing, parents gave input to the district's governing board on the school closures. The board did not have a discussion at the meeting, which was limited to public comment.
Many parents at the meeting advocated for the third option, which would close Copper Ridge and Laguna Prep. They cited its effect on the least amount of students and the projection that it would save the district the most money. According to district documents, the option saves the district $2.72 million. The first option would save around $2.59 million and the second $2.68 million, respectively.
Some parents expressed concern that Laguna Prep would close in all three options, with some saying they would consider leaving the district altogether.
One parent noted that a district parent survey showed that 44% of respondents said they would leave the district if their school closed. And at Laguna Prep, that number was 57%, raising concerns about whether projected savings would come to fruition.
Kate Russo, president of the Laguna Prep Parent Teacher Organization, asked the district to take more time with the decision to close schools because of the impact on students. She said the district should evaluate projected savings with consideration of the number of families who might leave the district.
“Most of the families are loyal to Laguna, not SUSD. Please seek the answers to all of the open questions, and consider every viable alternative before you vote to put this burden on our children,” Russo said.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale district considers closing several schools. See the list
