For the 2026-27 school year, there were no changes to school school start/end times as a result of school consolidation. All school start/end times are listed on the Kyrene bell schedule page. Families experiencing an enrollment change can use this page to find start/end times for your new school. If the district were  to consider bell schedule changes in future years, that information would involve extensive communication well in advance of any change. 

Transportation will always be aligned to your home school boundary. If your school boundary changes, but you choose to remain in enrolled in a school outside of your boundary, transportation would not be provided.

Kyrene uses the following guidelines to determine bus eligibility:
> Elementary: Transportation is provided to in-boundary students living 1.5 miles or more from their assigned school.
> Middle school: Transportation is provided to in-boundary students living 2 miles or more from their assigned school.

Transportation zones also consider major roadways, geography and potential hazards. The Kyrene Transportation team is developing a tool families can use to confirm transportation eligibility next year.

Bus stops across the district are reviewed every year. Most schools can expect adjustments to bus stop locations during this transition. Any changes will be communicated before the new school year begins.

Kyrene provides transportation from a hub location along the district’s northern border, to serve students living outside of Kyrene’s boundaries.

• North Hub: Beverly Rd. east of 48^th St.
  • This hub will serve Kyrene de los Niños Elementary, Kyrene de las Lomas Elementary, Kyrene Middle School and Centennial Middle School. 

The district initially implemented a south hub as well, but it was discontinued early in the 2026-27 school year due to extremely low ridership.

Yes, two middle schools will continue to offer dual language: Kyrene Middle School and Centennial Middle School.

The middle school dual language program will move to Centennial, and Akimel A-al students currently in the dual language program will be assigned to Centennial, regardless of home address.

Yes. Students enrolled at Kyrene de los Lagos will be assigned to Kyrene Centennial Middle School in Phoenix, and students enrolled at Kyrene del Norte will be assigned to Kyrene Middle School in Tempe.

Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, transportation is not provided for schools without boundaries, including Kyrene's two dual language elementary schools. These schools are open-enrollment only.

Kyrene's Exceptional Student Services team will be communicating directly with impacted families. We are making every effort to keep classroom teams together and to keep students with their same teachers, to minimize disruption.

We understand that families and staff of students receiving special education services have specific questions about program continuity during this transition. Please know that planning for our students with disabilities has been a priority throughout this process, not an afterthought.

The district is committed to:
* Ensuring every student with an IEP continues to receive all required services as outlined in their individualized plan
* Maintaining specialized programs by carefully analyzing current enrollment and determining the most appropriate locations in our reconfigured schools
* Providing adequate space, resources, and staffing for special education programs in receiving schools
* Engaging special education staff, families, and IEP teams in transition planning as decisions are finalized

We recognize that students with disabilities and their families may need additional support and information during transitions. Specific placement and service delivery details will be shared with individual families as plans are developed. Our special education team is working closely with facilities and enrollment planning teams to ensure thoughtful placement of programs and seamless continuity of services.

Kyrene is currently serving approximately 12,000 students (and is expected to drop to 11,000 students within the next five years) in a district built for 20,000 students, and resources are stretched thin. Consolidating schools will help to ensure better-resourced schools. It also prevents other cost saving options, such as larger class sizes.

Kyrene has seen a significant decline in enrollment over the last decade, and projections show enrollment trends will continue for the foreseeable future.
> Approximately 75% of enrollment loss in Kyrene is due to declining birth rates and subsequently smaller kindergarten cohorts.
> Additionally, an aging population and a rise in real estate costs limits the number of households with school age children.
> To a lesser degree, declining enrollment is a result of choice (private schools, charters, microschools, online or home schooling).

Kyrene maintains an outstanding reputation as one of the top districts in Arizona. The district invests in strategic marketing based on data; offers programs of choice to remain competitive; and prioritizes community engagement. Kyrene’s in-boundary marketing focuses on early grade levels in an effort to address the declining service rate, and externally, we continue to draw more students than we lose to all other districts.

Kyrene has been making difficult budget decisions for years, reducing expenditures by $24M over the last decade, in response to declining enrollment. The district has made every effort to shield students and staff from the impact of those decisions, but this is becoming harder. If Kyrene did not right-size based on current and future enrollment trends, the district would be forced to make decisions that directly impact the Kyrene experience—such as significant position cuts, larger class sizes, and fewer opportunities for students. 

Additionally, Kyrene has been and continues to be an advocate for increased state funding for Arizona public schools.