The Alhambra Elementary School District in Phoenix is weighing the closure of two campuses this summer — Valencia Newcomer School and Choice Learning Academy — as part of a cost-cutting plan prompted by declining enrollment and tightening budgets.
District officials estimate the move could save about $1.4 million per year. But the potential shutdown of Valencia Newcomer School, a unique campus designed to serve recently arrived immigrant and refugee students, has sparked strong emotional reactions from parents, former students, and community advocates.
Opened in 2018, Valencia Newcomer was created to help children who are new to the United States learn English and adapt before transitioning into traditional classrooms. This week, the school reported only 22 students enrolled, a number district leaders say makes it increasingly difficult to justify maintaining a separate campus.
If the closure is approved, the building at 3802 W. Maryland Ave. would be repurposed to expand the nearby Global Academy of Phoenix, where parents say classroom overcrowding has become a problem.
The district also plans to consolidate Choice Learning Academy — which currently enrolls 377 students — with Westwood Elementary, converting that school into a full K-8 campus. The Choice Learning Academy building could later host community services, such as health centers or family resource programs.
During a public hearing Thursday, the proposal drew both support and criticism. Former Valencia student Luis Mujica, who came to Arizona from Venezuela, spoke passionately about the impact the school had on his life. He said the teachers showed care and respect for immigrant students who often felt unseen and that the experience inspired him to pursue a teaching degree at Glendale Community College.
District officials, including Mandi Bilyou, Alhambra’s executive director of operations, emphasized that support for newcomer students would not disappear but would instead be integrated into other district schools to provide a more stable and inclusive environment.
Bilyou explained that the goal is to embed language development, academic instruction, and social supports more directly into each school, allowing students to thrive in a more consistent setting.
Some community members, such as Derek DeVelder from Abounding Service Phoenix, expressed concern that closing Valencia would take away a vital source of belonging for immigrant families. He described the school as a multigenerational center of impact whose loss could lead to greater isolation for many.
Others, like Josee Martinez, who has two children at Global Academy, supported the proposal, saying that expanding the neighboring school could help reduce overcrowded classrooms and ease stress for teachers.
A final public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 12, after which the governing board will make its decision.
For updates on the proposal, visit the Alhambra Elementary School District website.
