TUSD HQ Costs Soar to Double, While School Districts Appoint New Leaders for ’25

The Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) is set to relocate its administrative headquarters from its historic site at 1010 E. 10th St. to a newly acquired building at 220 West Sixth St. The move’s projected expense has significantly escalated, with the preliminary estimate rising from $3.3 million to a staggering $6.9 million.

Initially, the district aimed to reduce operational costs at the old site, which was deemed financially unsustainable. In an effort to facilitate this transition, TUSD agreed to sell the original building for redevelopment into apartments. Despite anticipating some expenses for technology updates and HVAC system improvements, the actual costs have far exceeded expectations.

Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act accounted for nearly the entire original renovation estimate of $1.7 million. Additional necessary enhancements, including new light fixtures, flooring upgrades, and the creation of a lobby and governing board room, have further inflated the expense.

While the costs for shifting data and telecommunications were accurately predicted, the inclusion of a backup generator for uninterrupted power added an unexpected $129,777 to the budget. Moreover, the installation of a new chiller, upgraded cooling towers, and necessary code compliance racked up $390,171 in unanticipated expenses, prompting TUSD’s facilities staff to consider doubling their contingency budget.

As a response to these unforeseen overruns, the TUSD staff recommends that the board proceed with the plans. The board is expected to make a decision during their meeting on Tuesday.

In broader economic terms, cost projections from early 2020 have proven overly optimistic as construction expenses continue to rise amid a nationwide infrastructure reinvestment and supply chain adjustments following the pandemic.

In tandem with the relocation vote, TUSD’s board will also consider a $506,000 contract with ParentSquare, aimed at enhancing communication between parents and educators. Currently, the system struggles with language translation and lacks mobile app functionality, leading to demands for an upgrade that comes with a five-year cost of $500,000 more than the existing vendor’s services.

Additionally, the board will address a proposal for a $257,000 contract to fortify the district’s computer network with firewall protection following a significant data breach impacting around 29,000 individuals in 2023. This one-year deal could be extended and comes with a potential $175,000 federal match.

In related educational developments, the Vail School District board plans to vote on approving a $585,000 expenditure for furniture at Saguaro Creek K-8, which is expected to open in July. Meanwhile, Catalina Foothills School District is introducing “Silver Awards” for students maintaining a weighted GPA of 4.0 or higher and “Blue Awards” for those with GPAs between 3.75 and 3.99.

During the Tuesday meeting, Catalina Foothills will also approve a series of field trips, including a costly cheerleading expedition to a national competition in California, raising questions about equitable access for students.

On the agenda for the Amphitheater Unified School District is a vote regarding fire alarm monitoring systems and an organizational meeting to welcome new board members and establish leadership roles for the year ahead.

Flowing Wells Unified School District is brainstorming potential future bond elections, although specifics remain unclear.

Lastly, the Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District Board is set to review several projects ranging from affordable restaurant spaces to the renovation of historic buildings as it explores opportunities for community investment and redevelopment.