Tempe Union shutting down year-old Innovation Center

Feb. 7—After nearly two years of planning and only three months after a dedication celebration, Tempe Union's Innovation Center has been put on the chopping block.

The district will shut down the program at the end of this school year, and will use for other purposes the building it spent $1 million to renovate after closing Compadre High School in spring 2021.

Tempe Union officials blamed a larger-than-expected enrollment slide that will cost a projected $3.5 million in state funding for closing the program, which had been celebrated in a Nov. 7 grand opening attended by several hundred students, educators, parents and local business representatives.

"We know that there is wonderful work happening at the Innovation Center," said Megan Sterling, Tempe Union's executive director of community relations. "However, within the past few months, a clearer picture emerged of the budget shortfall we would be facing.

"Most notably, the ADM (average daily membership) for the District went from a projected 1% enrollment loss, to 5% (and continuing to grow), which requires us to cut approximately $3.5 million. Once budget recommendations were finalized and presented to the superintendent in December, we had more clarity around what needed to happen.

"This decision is not a reflection on the Innovation Center or the work being done; this is a result of serious budget challenges that are affecting not only TUHSD but public school districts across the nation."

The Innovation Center was largely the brainchild of former superintendent Dr. Kevin Mendivil, who "retired" last summer after an apparent disagreement with the governing board over students' academic proficiency. He is now an elementary school principal in Chandler Unified School District.

Headed by Executive Director Dr. Christine Barela, a former principal of Desert Vista High School, the center has operated as a kind of adjunct learning center for participating students, who attend either a morning or afternoon session there and spend the rest of their day at their home high school.

Located next to the district's headquarters at 500 W. Guadalupe Road in Tempe, the center enabled students to work on special, often complex projects with faculty and mentors from the local business community.

Sterling said the closure will have no impact on the 84 students attending the Innovation Center, though counselors are working with those who already enrolled for next year to adjust their class schedules.

The closure follows the festive dedication ceremony that saw some students discuss their projects and both district officials and local businesses hailing the center.

"We are offering our students real, authentic problem-based solutions while allowing them to earn three credits toward graduation," said Interim Superintendent Dr. Stacia Wilson, praising the district's business partners.

Barela called the Innovation Center "a significant milestone in innovating the ways we provide education for our students in Tempe Union High School District."

She praised the students currently attending the center "for being courageous and joining us this first year, not knowing what to expect — that is true courage for a teenager."

"They have set a very high standard for the students yet to come," Barela said, also praising a variety of local business that have provided support through grants as well as personnel assigned to help guide the students with their projects.

Several parents and students slammed the closure during the public comment portion of the board's Jan. 17 meeting.

The closing was not on the agenda and the board was forbidden by law from commenting on the speakers' criticisms.

"It feels like it's been going away before it even had a chance," one parent told the board. "The growth and the leadership that I've seen from my daughter this year has been nothing short of miraculous. It's incredibly disheartening that this opportunity for her would go away and for all the other students there."

Identifying herself as a former teacher, the speaker noted the educators who "poured their heart and soul into this."

"I have seen my daughter take over her life and her education this past year," she continued."

A Desert Vista High School sophomore talked of the Innovation Center's impact on her attitude toward her education, saying it "invigorated me."

"I look at the whole experience as what my learning should have always been," she said. "I was not a stellar student in my prior years of public school. The way I was taught and explained the material did not help me see a future. .... Imagine seeing no hope or future in where you are, and not even realizing that it could be any different.

"While being at traditional schools, I never once was presented the opportunity to think about what job I would be passionate about and how the material would relate to that job. My teachers and peers never took the opportunity to understand me. And in turn, I couldn't try and understand myself or what I wanted to do.

"Use me as an example today because I really want to highlight that the Innovation Center did not just change my attitude, but it planted a seed that I will continue to grow from and I have achieved being moved to honors and a status of the straight A student and now I can see myself being successful in any challenge including my future career, all while enjoying school and bettering myself."

She added, "The skills that I'm able to utilize every single day at the Innovation Center, including advocacy, responsibility, teamwork, adaptability, integrity, confidence, independence, and the ability to accept criticism have helped me more this year than any other experience in my student journey."

And she warned, "You are stalling the opportunity to create entrepreneurs that will eventually give back to the city."

Another Desert Vista student said, "This school has helped me overcome working in groups and overcome meeting new people."

She noted the center's partnerships with companies and entities ranging from Intel to the Phoenix Zoo and said that by closing, the district "will lose some of the most talented intelligent kids you will ever meet."

Asked what will happen to Barela and the five teachers assigned to the Innovation Center, Sterling declined comment, but noted here are policies in place that provide guidance for these types of situations.

Policies she noted are introduced with the statement:

"In situations where undue disruptions to instructional programs or departmental operations occur, as determined in the sole and absolute discretion of the Superintendent or his/her designee in consultation with site principal, involuntary transfers may be necessary.

"To relieve such disruptions, the Superintendent, or designee, after consultation with appropriate principals, department chairs, and the certificated staff, may make the involuntary transfer."

Stating that terminating the program will save Tempe Union $1 million, Sterling said the renovation of the Compadre building was not a waste of money.

"At the time that renovations were being planned, the Innovation Center was one of many possible programs that would use the space," she said. "The renovations were done in a way that would give the District multiple options for future use and the ability to be flexible.

"The Innovation Center is housed in one of five buildings. The other buildings are currently used for training and professional development, as well as office space for approximately 50-plus district staff members."

As for the portion that was used for students, Sterling said, "There are several options being discussed.

"The campus will continue to be used for a wide range of training and professional development opportunities, as well as staff offices," she said, noting it already houses several programs and will likely host the summer programs of Math Academy and Native American Education."