UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL

421 N. Arcadia Avenue

Tucson , Arizona    85715

University High School

Short Term & Long Range Goals

  Motion-          

The University High School Site Council (12/09/08) and the University High School Faculty (12/10/08) unanimously adopted the vision for UHS as stated in this document.   The School Council Chair and Principal shall appoint a committee of stakeholders to negotiate with TUSD the implementation of the vision.

Current Political Environment-

Currently, over 8,000 students who live within the boundaries of TUSD choose to attend private, parochial, or charter schools.  This school year alone, 1400+ students have left the district and another 1,000+ are anticipated to leave in 2009-2010.  With unitary status, TUSD is likely to lose at least 1,000 more students to neighboring school districts as the State Open Enrollment statute takes effect.  

Since 2000, Tucson has been one of the faster growing communities in the nation. During the same time, TUSD’s student enrollment has not increased at all – in fact it has gone down (from 59,400 in 2007 to 58,000 in 2008).  Currently, TUSD loses over $5,000 per year in state funding for every student who does not attend a TUSD school, money that could be used to strengthen other programs.  To reverse this trend, it is in TUSD’s best interest to identify successful schools that can both keep students from leaving the district and attract new students into the district. Based on its local, state, and national reputation for academic excellence, and supporting data collected over thirty years, University High School is one of the schools that can make TUSD a model school district for the entire nation.

Short Term Goals – SY  2009-2010

a.       UHS shall invite at least 250 incoming qualified TUSD freshmen and up to 50 qualified incoming freshmen from other districts in 2009.  Therefore, the incoming freshman class shall be no more than 300 students.  This will bring the total student enrollment of UHS to approximately 900 in 2009-2010.  As other nationally recognized high performing high schools do, UHS will maintain its admission standards to ensure a qualified and diversified student body.

b.      UHS will continue to review the current recruitment and retention data  

(07/08 and 08/09) and make recommendations for increased focus on targeted minority students (includes follow-up surveys of students declining to come, those leaving to return to home high schools or leaving UHS for whatever reason, etc.). UHS will also continue working with staff from TUSD’s Ethnic Studies Departments whose expertise, resources, and support in attracting more target minority students to our school will be invaluable.

c.       UHS shall have the appropriate classroom space and FTE to conduct classes for     the approved UHS enrollment (up to 900 for SY 09-10).  UHS will ensure that new faculty recruitment will focus on quality and diversity in the teacher corps.

d.      UHS, with central office/board approval, will create a plan and process by February 1, 2009 for seriously looking for a campus that is accessible to all students who live in TUSD and to qualifying students from neighboring school districts through unitary status.  UHS will maintain its own distinct, centrally located campus.  The campus shall have science lab space, a library, computer labs, fine arts/athletics facilities, and sufficient student/staff parking.  The target date for this move to a UHS campus will occur by the academic year 2010-2011.                                                                 

Long Range Goals

a. UHS shall have a campus of its own no later than 2010 in a central location that has facilities for science labs, a library, computer labs, fine arts/athletics facilities and sufficient student/staff parking.  It should also have the capacity to eventually accommodate an enrollment of at least 1500 students.  UHS will ensure that new faculty recruitment will focus on quality and a diverse teaching corps.

b.      Following the example set by other nationally recognized public     schools, UHS shall explore the possibility of expanding to include     grades 7 and 8.  As evidenced by these schools, expansion to grades 7 and 8 allows for better and more uniform preparation of students for college prep and college level curricular programs in grades 9-12.