Save South Scottsdale Schools Phase II Starts Now
Echo Canyon and Pima have been voted closed.
Yavapai Elementary and Tonalea Middle School are next on the chopping block in Phase II of SUSD’s “repurposing” plan.
Our community will decide what happens next.
On December 9, 2025, the Scottsdale Unified Governing Board voted 3–2 to close and repurpose Echo Canyon K-8 and Pima Elementary, citing declining enrollment and a growing budget gap expected to reach up to $9 million by 2026.
Those decisions are projected to save roughly $2.5 million — at the expense of hundreds of students, families, and neighborhoods in the Coronado Learning Community.
Phase II puts Yavapai Elementary (K-5) and Tonalea Middle School (6-8) back under review, both serving fewer than 400 students and already flagged in the district’s own “Vibrant and Thriving SUSD” consolidation plan.
Our Kids | Our Schools | Our Futures
LINKS
Initial Notice via Blog Post: Superintendent Menzels Blog
SUSD Info Webpage: School Repurposing & Enrollment Review
SUSD Board Meeting Schedule: Board Schedule
SUSD Board Contact: govbrd@susd.org
Echo Canyon Repurposing Proposal: Scottsdale Arts Academy
Superintendent Scott Menzel's Official Proposal: A Vibrant and Thriving SUSD
What Just Happened?
What The Board Just Voted To Do
On December 9, 2025, the SUSD Governing Board voted 3–2 to close and repurpose:
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Echo Canyon K-8 School
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Pima Elementary School
District leaders justified these closures by pointing to:
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Districtwide enrollment decline of more than 6,000 students since 2019
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A projected $7.8–$9 million budget gap in the next few years
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An estimated $2.5 million in savings from closing Echo Canyon and Pima
At the same time, SUSD is still responsible for repaying nearly $27.6 million in tax refunds tied to the Qasimyar v. Maricopa County lawsuit, which has already strained the district’s finances.
Email the SUSD Board About Phase II
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Every school holds generations of stories. Let’s make sure they don’t end here.
Arizona’s public schools are caught in the middle of multiple overlapping crises:
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Fewer kids overall (declining birthrates and demographic shifts)
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Aggressive growth of charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling
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Universal ESA vouchers that siphon public dollars out of neighborhood schools
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State budget decisions that prioritize tax cuts and vouchers over fully funding public education
Together, these choices have pushed districts like SUSD into an “enrollment crisis” that leaders now use to justify closing schools — especially in communities like South Scottsdale.
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Arizona has about 1.15 million publicly funded K-12 students. Roughly 900,000 attend district public schools and 270,000 attend public charters.
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District public school enrollment peaked in 2019–2020. Today, there are about 50,000 fewer students enrolled than before the pandemic; compared to pre-COVID projections, the gap is closer to 100,000 students.
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At current per-pupil funding, that enrollment hole represents roughly $800 million a year in lost revenue that would otherwise support district schools.
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Arizona now has the lowest share of students in traditional public schools in the nation — only about 75%, with the rest in charter, private, or home-school settings.
Why this matters:
When students leave district schools, funding follows them out, but fixed costs stay — buildings still need maintenance, buses still run, staff still teach the remaining students. That imbalance is exactly what SUSD is pointing to as it closes campuses instead of rebuilding enrollment.
WHAT YOU
CAN DO NEXT
Stay informed through our website
Visit this page regularly for updates, resources, and new information as SUSD decisions continue to unfold.
👉 www.savesouthscottsdale.org
Spread the word
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Spread the word about Yavapai, Pima, Hohokam, Tonalea, and Coronado.
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Share positive reviews online.
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Yavapai Elementary
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Pima Elementary
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Hohokam Elementary
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Tonalea Middle School
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Coronado High School
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Invite friends for shadow days and campus tours.
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Volunteer
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When families show up, students succeed. Volunteering builds school pride and boosts student performance.
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Share this page with your network
Help keep our community informed. Share this website with a minimum of 10 friends, neighbors, and families who want to stay engaged and understand how school changes may affect their communities.
Email the SUSD Governing Board
Share your questions, concerns, or feedback about the proposed plans, you can contact the Governing Board directly. Remember, they don't know how we feel unless we tell them:
📧 govbrd@susd.org
Attend the SUSD Governing Board Meetings
Coronado High School
Governing Board Room
7501 E Virginia Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
Your presence demonstrates that our community is paying attention and cares deeply about the future of our campuses.