Red Ink Forcing Tucson (Ariz.) to Look at More Closures

Facing what officials call an "alarming" financial outlook, the Tucson Unified School District is once again considering closing more schools.

The option is being considered for the 2013-2014 school year as enrollment and state funding continue to decline.

The idea includes not only closing schools, but building newer, larger schools - an expense that TUSD could ask taxpayers to cover through a bond election.

On average, TUSD has been losing about 1,500 students annually during the last several years. The loss has been attributed to a decrease in the number of school-age children living within TUSD boundaries, flight to charter schools, the downturn in the economy and a change in immigration policies.

TUSD, which serves about 51,000 students, has 13,000 empty seats - roughly the population of the fourth-largest district in the Tucson area, Marana.