Over the last decade, the district says enrollment has dropped by roughly 2,000 students and “by 2033, enrollment is projected to decline by 14%, further impacting our funding and resources.”

To prevent cuts to essential programs, district leaders are considering closing schools and consolidating resources. If closures proceed, Dunbar students would move to Bethune and Heard students to Capitol.

The Isaac Elementary School District in Phoenix will receive federal funding amid its financial crisis. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said on Jan. 27 that the federal government has agreed to send $6 million to the district to help cover at least the next three payrolls.

The district held its first of four public hearings on the proposed school closures on Tuesday night, where the reaction was mixed.

The Phoenix Elementary School District is proposing closing Dunbar and Heard Elementary Schools to save about $2 million.

Families in the Phoenix Elementary School District could see two of their schools close by the end of the school year.

The Isaac Elementary School District is under fire and under the microscope after accusations of overspending nearly $30 million and falsifying financial records came to light. “They lied to us,” said Maricopa County Treasurer John Allen during an Arizona School Board of Education meeting on Jan.