Tucson Unified Schools Will Remain Online In January

TUCSON, AZ — Tucson's largest school district will continue to teach students remotely when the spring semester begins on Jan. 4.

Tucson Unified School District Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo announced the decision at a Tuesday night meeting with the school board. Trujillo said he's not sure when the district will be able to get back into the classroom for in-person learning amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

The closure and ability to open in the future “is inextricably linked to the behavior of this community," Trujillo said. The district allowed him to make the call based on the available public health metrics.

While the rate of transmission is low on campuses, the rise in cases in the surrounding community affects students and staff members every day at school, the superintendent said.

Pima County reported 721 new coronavirus cases and 16 deaths Wednesday, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Trujillo said that a lack of substitute teachers and the need to quarantine each time someone is exposed to the virus makes it difficult for schools to reopen.

He acknowledged that students are likely struggling academically due to the disruptions in their learning, pointing to an increase in F grades dealt out this year compared to 2019.

In the middle school grades, the number of Fs have increased by 67 percent over last year, and in high school there was a 38% increase, according to the district.

While the district is keeping schools running online, Trujillo also said the state's health department will begin providing free testing to students, staff and their families, as well as conducting contact tracing to help curb the spread of the virus.

But those efforts don't change the fact that schools must remain closed to in-person learning for now, according to Trujillo.

"At this particular time, I have no identified start date for the return of in-person learning or hybrid instruction," he said.