As a Chandler resident, CUSD alumnus, and experienced educator, I care deeply about the district’s future, which led me — and a majority of Chandler’s voters — to oppose the latest bond measure.

While it may be easy to dismiss this result as a reaction to the “culture wars,” my vote had nothing to do with such issues. Instead, it reflects a broader shift in voter attitudes toward school bonds — a shift from automatic approval by a wide margin, to one that demands a new era of transparency and fiscal responsibility.

This year’s rejection of CUSD’s bond measure should be interpreted as a confidence check from the community.
Governing Board Member Kurt Rohrs, who stood as the lone dissenting vote against the bond referendum, raised legitimate questions about the district’s future in an era marked by declining enrollment, a locked housing market, and strong competition from school choice.

His inquiries were met with unwarranted derision and criticism from several board members who blindly approved the bond referendum.

CUSD’s failure to take definitive action on “rightsizing” the district is troubling. With forecasts predicting further enrollment declines, it’s clear that the district must make tough decisions about its physical footprint and financial priorities.

Another critical factor that underscores the need for fiscal scrutiny in school bond elections is the role of the construction and real estate industry via special interest groups, most notably the Arizona Business and Education Coalition (ABEC).
For decades, construction companies, developers, investment banks, and real estate interests have built lucrative ties to school bond measures, often funding bond campaigns that promise property improvements will address the most pressing issues affecting Arizona schools.

In addition to representatives from the construction and real estate industries, ABEC has had several superintendents and the heads of various educator advocacy groups, including at one point, the president of the teacher’s union, as part of its leadership.

Voters rarely see the full picture of how these bonds benefit an exclusive set of companies specializing in school construction and related services.

This relationship has led to minimal competition in procurement processes, making these bond elections a self-sustaining investment for construction and real estate executives at the taxpayers’ expense.

CUSD owes it to Chandler residents to reevaluate bond proposals as declining enrollment challenges the need for ongoing, expansive facilities spending.

To start, Superintendent Frank Narducci has previously identified eight under-capacity elementary schools: Bologna, Hull, Frye, Galveston, Navarrete, San Marcos, Sanborn, and Shumway. With no reversal of the enrollment decline in sight, CUSD must now confront the reality that several of these schools need to be closed and their boundaries consolidated to avoid greater financial strain on Chandler taxpayers in the future.

One of the most concerning aspects of CUSD’s planning is the egregious and incredibly short-sighted decision to spend $32-plus million on the renovation of Galveston Elementary, one of the eight under-capacity schools and a perennial underperformer in terms of academic outcomes.

Rather than spending on facilities that are underutilized, CUSD must consider selling or repurposing some of these campuses to make up for future shortfalls.

The sale or redevelopment of half of these school sites for use as recreation centers, parks, and/or for teacher housing would offer a win-win for Chandler residents and CUSD by widening community use of these assets and avoiding the prospect of selling the campus to a competing school.

CUSD’s situation reflects a broader shift in the East Valley, where the median voter no longer rubber-stamps bond measures by large margins.

Furthermore, a locked housing market in Chandler will likely lead to a higher median age as well as new spending priorities focused on infrastructure and services that benefit all Chandler residents, not just CUSD.

Moreover, CUSD’s overzealous and unchecked geographic expansion under former Superintendent Dr. Camille Casteel will prove to have been a colossal liability, with Chandler taxpayers on the hook to support large high schools with high overhead and physical addresses in Gilbert (Perry) and Queen Creek (Casteel).

While CUSD should be commended for drawing students from outside district boundaries, it raises an important question: is it fair to ask Chandler residents to cover the costs of educating a larger proportion of non-Chandler students while surrounding cities and their residents pocket the savings from their own taxes?

With alternatives such as charter schools and the state’s expanded ESA program, Chandler taxpayers should not be expected to bear that burden.

As difficult as it may be to consider closing cherished schools, CUSD cannot afford to make decisions rooted in nostalgia for a bygone era. Confronting the reality of declining enrollment now, rather than later, will enable the district to avoid a steeper period of austerity.

The failure of recent bond referendums in Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek and Higley USD should serve as a wake-up call to district administrators across the East Valley.

Instead of passing the buck to taxpayers and pursuing yet another bond election, the district must focus on “rightsizing” and restructuring itself to match reality.

Closing under-enrolled schools, exploring innovative uses for school sites, and setting a standard of fiscal prudence are the steps needed to regain voters’ trust.

To reiterate, my “no” vote was not a rejection of CUSD’s mission or educational excellence — it was a call for fiscal restraint and thoughtful planning. The bond measure’s failure underscores that Chandler voters want a new direction, one that prioritizes sustainable spending based on fact — not fantasy.

Arman Sidhu is a Chandler resident, an alum of two CUSD schools and an educator. His views are entirely his own.

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