Audit: More Tucson schools may need to be closed

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - An audit by an outside consultant has found that the Tucson public school district has 14,000 empty seats.

The Arizona Daily Star reports (https://bit.ly/1lfh6CF) that the finding has prompted a recommendation to right-size the Tucson Unified School District to save money and improve efficiency.

District Superintendent H.T. Sanchez told the governing board Tuesday it will be tough to make the decisions needed to address the inefficiencies.

The auditors noted that state funding has been on the decline and the exodus of students over the last decade has cost the district about $50 million in funding. The district has already shut nearly two dozen campuses due to budget cuts.

While the recommendation to close more schools was made at Tuesday’s meeting, no specific schools were identified for closure.

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Information from: Arizona Daily Star, https://www.azstarnet.com