Declining Enrollment: Will Public Schools Adapt or Close?

By Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board Member Amy Carney

Across Arizona, public school districts are facing declining enrollment and difficult financial decisions. But how districts respond to these challenges matters.

Consider two neighboring districts: Mesa Public Schools and Scottsdale Unified School District.

Mesa has adapted by redesigning smaller schools, sharing resources, creating specialized academic programs, welcoming Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) families, and leasing unused campus space. Administrative restructuring has also generated approximately $3.75 million in annual savings.

Meanwhile, Scottsdale Unified has approved the closure of four neighborhood schools within the past year. I voted against both rounds because I believe we should exhaust creative alternatives before closing schools.

Arizona’s educational landscape has changed. Families have more choices than ever, and school districts must adapt rather than fight that reality. Instead of blaming school choice for declining enrollment, we must choose to compete.

Only approximately 55% of school-aged children living within Scottsdale Unified boundaries attend our district schools. That should concern every district leader. We must understand what families want and provide the academic programs and learning environments that make our schools their first choice.

Last October, I requested a proactive Long Range Planning and Boundary Board Advisory Committee to examine enrollment, facilities, and sustainable solutions. Unfortunately, the board majority did not support that approach.

Mesa demonstrates that districts can rethink traditional models, develop partnerships, and better utilize taxpayer-funded facilities before considering closures.

This commitment to proactive planning and exploring alternatives before closing schools is one reason I am seeking re-election to the SUSD board alongside Jeanne Beasley. We share priorities of academic excellence, fiscal responsibility, and finding innovative ways to strengthen Scottsdale Unified.

Our responsibility is not simply to manage declining enrollment. It is to give families compelling reasons to choose our public schools again.