TOLLESON, Ariz. — Arizona school districts are being forced to try recruiting students through advertising to compete in Arizona's education system.
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The most prominent district right now is the Tolleson Union High School District, which is running commercials about the district in hopes of getting students to change districts.
The ad, which also appears on 12New, shows Superintendent Jeremy Calles showing the district's amenities, like cafeterias, media production facilities and performing arts center.
"Arizona has become a very competitive place for education now," Calles said. "You have to compete for students."
In Arizona, students can choose any public school district to attend, they don't have to attend the one they live in. Districts are also competing with charter schools, private schools, ESA and even homeschooling for state dollars. Each student brings the district a set amount of money for the year.
"We're on the verge of qualifying for a new high school," Calles said, "so we do need our enrollment to go up, specifically in this year."
So, Calles said, districts like Tolleson are budgeting money specifically for advertising and recruitment.
"Families, because there are so many options, are looking for a school that meets the individual needs of their child," Chad Gestson, executive director of the Institute for Education and the Economy said.
"When you tell your story well and speak to parents, your enrollment goes up," Gestson said.
According to the Arizona Department of Education, student enrollment in Maricopa County has been going down over the past five years. Right now there are 29,000 fewer students enrolled than in 2019.
But the Tolleson Union High School District's enrollment has gone up over the same time period, something Calles credits to advertising and the growth of the community.