Tucson Unified Schools Set To Return To Classroom In March

TUCSON, AZ —Southern Arizona's largest school district is making plans to finally return to the classroom for in-person learning amid the coronavirus pandemic.

At a Tuesday board meeting, Tucson Unified School District Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo announced plans to have students return to schools on March 24 and 25 after spring break. The district's pre-schools, K-8 and elementary schools would start with in-person classes full-time while middle and high schools will start with four half-days per week.

There will still be a remote option for parents who aren't quite ready to send their kids back to school.

“I do hear loud and clear that there is a desire to open,” Trujillo said on Tuesday.

The school board hopes that the March date will allow teachers plenty of time to get vaccinated before going back to the classroom, though the district will not require vaccines.

Responses to the call from parents and teachers was mixed, according to local news station KOLD. Some agreed with the timeline while others urged the board to consider returning even sooner.

The district sent out a survey to parents last week and discussed the results on Tuesday.

For parents of students in kindergarten through K-3 and sixth grade, over 50 percent of respondents thought that remaining virtual was the best option for their kids. Many would also be okay with a hybrid option, but nearly 36 percent wished for a return to full in-person learning.

Parents of high school students in the area were more adamant that continuing with remote learning would not be preferred, with over 77 percent calling it the worst option. But 86 percent stated they would be okay with the hybrid option that Trujillo is recommending for the age group; over 77 percent argued for a return to full-time in-person instruction as the best option for their kids.

“The natural question is, why can’t we just bring everybody back? Why can’t we just have all the high school kids come back?” Trujillo asked, the outlet reported. “The reason is safety. If you have thousands of students coming back onto campuses, you have thousands of students switching classes every 40 to 55 minutes. It’s going to be crowded.”

While discussions on a return date will continue, the board previously voted to give Trujillo the sole authority to make the final call. He has said he will use Pima County health metrics to guide his decision.