Tucson Unified School District gets $600K Grant for Afghan refugees

The Tucson Unified School District received a grant of over $600,000 from the Arizona Department of Economic Security to aid Afghan refugees who are students in the district.

The grant funds will be used for support in academics, language, transportation, and a variety of other areas. The goal is to fully integrate Afghan students.

“We are excited,” TUSD superintendent Dr. Gabriel Trujillo said. “The Afghan student community is a vibrant focus for us among our student body."

The grant is a block grant, the district will see a payment this fiscal year, with parameters on how the funds may be used.

The TUSD has set goals for fund usage, including Afghan English fluency rates, attendance rates, and other academic goals.