The mission statement of UHS identifies it as "a special function high school which serves students who are academically focused and intellectually gifted and provides curriculum and social support not offered in the comprehensive high school."

The goal was to provide advanced courses for the district's students and explore interest in a variety of careers.

Around this time, parents complained about the discrimination of the school's enrollment of less than 12 percent minority students.

[2] In October 2017, the TUSD Governing Board considered giving University High School their own campus.

Added to the plan would be opening a direct feeder middle school close to the new campus.