Financial Struggles Force School Closures in Phoenix
In a significant move affecting the community, the Roosevelt Elementary School Board has decided to shut down five schools due to a significant drop in student enrollment and a substantial budget deficit. This decision came after a board meeting where the vote concluded with a 4-1 majority in favor of the closures.
Shelley Jackson, the board’s president, expressed a personal connection to the decision, stating, “Making a decision to close, for me, is deeply personal. Especially as one of the schools that’s being recommended tonight is the one my family went to.”
The closure will displace approximately 5,000 students, who will have to transition to other educational facilities within the district. Presently, there are no intentions to sell any of the school properties. The Roosevelt district comprises 18 schools in total.
The schools scheduled for closure are as follows:
- Maxine O. Bush Elementary
- John R. Davis Elementary
- C.J. Jorgensen Academy
- V.H. Lassen Academy
- Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
Although two of these schools have plans to reopen in the future, the current closures underscore the financial challenges and demographic changes facing the district.
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