District News & Announcements

The change in guidance has created concerns across our community and in our schools.  However, it is important for you to know that SUSD will continue to support and teach each student enrolled in our district, consistent with the legal parameters noted below: 

Students’ Right to Education: 

• The U.S. Supreme Court, in Plyler v. Doe, ruled all students have a constitutional right to an education, regardless of their immigration status. 

Protection of Student Information: 

• SUSD is legally prohibited from sharing any personally identifiable information without a valid court order, as outlined by FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). 

Handling Law Enforcement Requests: 

• SUSD Governing Board Policy JIH governs the process for law enforcement requests, ensuring proper documentation and communication. 

• Policy JIH includes a mandatory exhibit that must be completed whenever a law enforcement officer seeks to interview a student. This includes notifying the parent/guardian, either by the law enforcement agency or the school. 

ICE (U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement) Warrants and Arrests: 

• ICE administrative “warrants” are not valid judicial warrants, as they lack probable cause determination and, therefore, may not be enforceable if presented at a school site. 

• Local law enforcement agencies are not currently authorized to make arrests for immigration-related offenses unless they directly witness a violation. 

We stand by our SUSD Values of Excellence, Integrity, Empathy, Trust, Inclusion and Unity and will continue to engage allstudents in world-class, future-focused learning. 

Anyone with questions is encouraged to reach out to their school principal. 

Supporting Student Achievement and Teacher Growth Through Innovation

At SUSD, we are in constant pursuit of improved learning outcomes for our students. We have Wildly Important Goals (WIGS) and Key Priorities Indicators that keep us laser focused on ensuring excellence in teaching and learning in our classrooms. We believe that a key factor in the success of student learning is the strength of their teachers. Thus, we are committed to empowering our educators with the resources they need to achieve better outcomes for students and are continuously exploring innovative approaches to support teacher growth and development.

As such, we are piloting Teach FX, a new tool designed to provide meaningful feedback to educators who are eager to improve their instructional practice. This solution aims to enhance professional development opportunities without increasing staffing or significant costs. By focusing on continuous improvement, we strive to create a positive impact on teaching and learning across the district.

We appreciate the teachers who constantly reflect on their practice and see value in the opportunity to grow. Thank you to those who have stepped forward and volunteered to participate in this pilot. Their experience is essential as we evaluate the best path forward to support professional development across the district.

Who is using TeachFX this year? How were participating teachers selected?

We are piloting the app with 19 teachers across 9 elementary, 4 middle, and 3 high schools, all of whom volunteered for this opportunity. Second-year teachers were invited to participate in this pilot, as we see potential to use this app as a professional development support for beginning teachers as they transition into their second year. Mentor Teacher Instructional Leaders (TILs) were also invited to participate so that we could get feedback from more experienced teachers who support new teachers at their schools.

How does TeachFX work?

TeachFX uses a voice AI algorithm to record a teacher’s lesson and provide personalized instructional feedback that the teacher can use to improve their practice - much like having an instructional coach observe the classroom! Quantitative data includes analytics on the following areas: app usage, minutes of student/teacher talk, opportunities to respond, wait time, encouraging students to explain their thoughts, giving specific praise, and asking open-ended questions. Only the teacher is able to see this data and use it for their own professional growth – they reflect on the data and make instructional decisions accordingly to ensure they are intentionally engaging all students with research-based engagement strategies. 

Does TeachFX collect student information?

SUSD pursues data protection agreements with all vendors. More information on SUSD’s Data Integration can be found here: https://www.susd.org/departments/information-technology/data-integration.

TeachFX does not collect any personally identifiable student information. When creating their account, the teacher provides a voice recording to specifically denote their voice so the system can distinguish their voice from any other voice detected, which it assumes are students; however, it cannot determine how many times a teacher calls on a specific student or which students are speaking at any given time, etc. Please refer to the TeachFX Privacy Policy for their additional information.

Can I opt out of TeachFX in my child’s classroom? 

This is a tool utilized only by the teacher and TeachFX does not collect any personally identifiable student information. There is no direct interaction with the student. Should you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher. 

What is the timeline for this TeachFX pilot?

Participating teachers began using the TeachFX app in late November 2024 and will continue to use the program through May 2025. We meet quarterly as a group with a TeachFX Customer Support Specialist to discuss everyone’s experiences with the app and reflect on how they have improved their instructional practices as a result of their usage. These quarterly meetings also involve professional learning around one or more research-based engagement strategies (i.e., student/teacher talk, opportunities to respond, wait time, pressing students to explain, giving specific praise, and asking open-ended questions).

Participating Schools

• Anasazi Elementary School
• Arcadia High School
• Cherokee Elementary School
• Cochise Elementary School
• Cocopah Middle School
• Coronado High School
• Desert Canyon Elementary School
• Desert Canyon Middle School
• Desert Mountain High School
• Hopi Elementary School
• Ingleside Middle School
• Kiva Elementary School
• Mohave Middle School
• Navajo Elementary School
• Pima Elementary School
• Yavapai Elementary School

Great news!

We are excited to share that the School Safety Program Grant, which previously provided School Safety Officers (SSOs) for Yavapai and Anasazi Elementary schools, has been expanded by the Arizona Department of Education.  The district applied for and has been awarded funds to provide all Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) elementary and K-8 schools with an SSO!

To clarify, the SSO model is different from the School Resource Officer (SRO) model. SSOs are not full-time staff assigned to campuses. Rather, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) contracts with a third party to place off-duty officers on school campuses. While the officer on duty may vary from day to day and may not always be from the same agency, each officer assigned as an SSO to an SUSD school will have completed all required training for this role.  SSOs will be on our campuses when they choose to pick up a shift, not full-time.

On Tuesday, January 7, the SUSD Governing Board approved the use of the ADE grant to fund these positions through the 2025-2026 school year. ADE will now begin setting up the necessary services, and we anticipate that officers will start choosing shifts at your school within the next month.

Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and staff is always an SUSD top priority. We are grateful for this opportunity to enhance our school safety efforts through the state’s expanded grant program.

WHO:	Middle school (6th, 7th, 8th grade) students play “Tier I,” no-score, practice games and matches at local parks and SUSD high schools.   The festival precedes those sports’ competitive, “Tier 2” seasons that run through September.
WHEN:	Saturday, August 24, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
WHERE:	Boys baseball:  Chaparral Park, 5401 N. Hayden Rd, Scottsdale, and Saguaro High School, 6250 N. 82nd St. Scottsdale Schedule   Girls volleyball:  Gymnasiums at Arcadia High School, 4703 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix; Coronado High School, 7501 E. Virginia Ave., Scottsdale; and Saguaro High School, 6250 N. 82nd St., Scottsdale Schedule
ADDITIONAL INFO:	Scottsdale Unified School District is pleased to offer athletic opportunities to its middle school students in eight sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, flag football, soccer, softball, track and field, and volleyball. All students are invited to learn and develop skills in a new sport or improve existing skills.  Registered athletes practice after school for the first four weeks of the quarter. Baseball and volleyball practice started on August 6 in what is called Tier I play. An estimated 900 students will take part in Saturday’s Fall Festival. Tier 2 competitive teams are selected the week after the festival. These teams, each comprised of 12-15 student athletes, play against each other in a competitive season that ends September 30. Students with an F or a GPA of less than 2.0 are not allowed to try out or play in competitive games.

Due to unforeseen technical difficulties, there were audio issues during the live broadcast of the governing board meeting held on August 20, 2024. As a result, some portions of the audio are missing from the recording. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Efforts are being made to prevent such issues in future broadcasts. Additionally governing board meeting minutes will be available for public inspection as required by law.

SUSD Job Fair

When: Wed., July 17, 2024 | 3 pm – 6 pm

Where: Mohave District Annex - 8500 E. Jackrabbit Rd. - Scottsdale

SUSD Careers Page

Budget-controlled Funds	School district budgets are classified in two “types” of funds, budget-controlled and cash-controlled funds.  Budget-controlled funds are set by a state set formula or legislative appropriations and the amount that a school district may spend is dependent on that formula.  The school district is legally permitted to budget or spend up to the budget limit. Budget-controlled funds include, Maintenance and Operations (M&O), District Additional Assistance (DAA or Unrestricted Capital), Bond, Overrides for both M&O and DAA, Classroom Site Fund and Adjacent Ways. The legislature establishes a formula for the budget which is the amount the district may spend for expenditures in those funds. To receive the cash to fund these accounts, the district must levy the local taxpayers.  The County Treasurer (district bank) requires the district to have available cash in the bank to process warrants (checks). If the district cash on hand in any of the above-mentioned funds is higher than what is needed to cover the budgeted amount, the additional cash is considered excess or dead cash as having more cash than budget does not allow the district to spend more. The district is not permitted to spend beyond the approved formula for these funds. If the district cash on hand in any of the above-mentioned accounts is lower than what is needed to cover the budgeted amount, it is a cash deficit.
Cash-controlled Funds	The second “type” of funds a district has are cash-controlled funds. These accounts for SUSD include, Plant Fund, Civic Center or Rental, Medicaid Reimbursement, Community Education, Indirect Costs, Tax Credits, and Gifts/Donations. These funds do not have a budget formula and the available amount to use is based on how much cash the district has generated. The district is currently utilizing cash balances in Community Education, Indirect Costs, Medicaid Reimbursement, and Civic Center or Rental funds to help offset costs in M&O. If the district were to significantly reduce the available cash balance in these accounts, it would impact the M&O budget as staff currently paid from these funds would have to be moved back to M&O. If cash is not available, the district cannot spend.  A negative cash balance in a cash-controlled fund at year end will result in an audit finding.
If the budget dictates how much the district may spend, why do you need cash?	You need cash with the county treasury to cover the warrants or checks that the district issues. The property tax levies are deposited into the district account throughout the year, with the bulk of payments happening twice a year, October, and March. The budget year starts in July and the district is issuing checks within the first weeks of July through Accounts Payable and Payroll. If the district does not have enough cash with the treasurer in the budgeted accounts to cover the checks issued, we must either draw from a line of credit or issue tax anticipation notes (TANs). Both options are essentially a short-term loan with interest expenses to the district.
How does the district receive cash for budgeted accounts?	Cash for budget-controlled funds are received by the County from local property taxes. The tax rate is set by the County Board of Supervisors based on the district approved budget.  The tax rate is set by a legislatively approved formula which is primarily based on the amount needed for the budget-controlled funds and the assessed property valuation.
Qasimyar vs. Maricopa County	Qasimyar was a class action lawsuit against Maricopa County in which certain property owners questioned whether a change in classification between owner occupied and residential rental homes was a “change in use”.  The courts ruled that it was a change in use and thus those homeowners were overtaxed and are due a refund. This effectively means all other taxpayers in Maricopa, were under taxed during that time period[A1] [SC2] . This ruling changes the assessed property values from 2015-2023.  The court judgment now requires the Maricopa County Treasurer to refund those homeowners by collecting funds back from all taxing entities in Maricopa (Cities, School Districts, Community Colleges, Fire Agencies). The entire judgement is $329 million.  SUSD’s portion is estimated at $27,598,581.
How Does this judgment impact SUSD?	The Maricopa County Treasurer’s Office will pull cash from the district levy funds based on the budget fund that originally received the property tax payment.  We have been provided a breakdown of how much will be taken from each fund. M&O $19,096,208 Deseg (budgeted within M&O) $122,000 M&O Override $2,962,461 Total M&O Amount = $22,180,669 DAA or Capital $16,196 DAA Override $1,206,217 Total DAA or Capital Amount = $1,222,413 Bond $4,180,833* Special Improvements (Adjacent Ways) $14,665 Grand Total of $27,598,581   *We have been advised by legal counsel that statute does not permit use of debt funds for anything other than repayment of Principal and Interest on Bonds and although the County Treasurer has indicated plans to sweep cash as noted above, there may be a legal challenge specific to the specific prohibition in statute related to the debt fund account.
How much excess cash does the district have?	The district started fiscal year 2023-2024 with just over $11 million in excess cash, but we will not have a final amount until the fiscal year is closed.  We anticipate the district will have at least $10 million in excess cash.
What new information is there?	On Wednesday, June 26, 2024 we received an updated FAQ from the Maricopa County School Superintendent’s Office.  The information provided indicates that the taxpayer refunds will be finalized between July 2024-December 2024. Refunds will be processed from the fund into which the original tax payment was made in accordance with A.R.S. §42-16214(2). The county will process the refunds directly from the district resulting in a negative entry [A3] against the existing balance from the fund. When this happens, if the district does not have sufficient cash with the treasurer to either refund or pay district expenses (payroll and accounts payable), the district would be required to use the line of credit at an interest rate of 8.5% given the board has not authorized the use of tax anticipation notes (TANs). The TANs would have a lower interest rate and save the taxpayers between $450,000 - $780,000 annually related to the Qasimyar judgement.
Is there State Aid to help with the judgement?	Scottsdale Unified School District is not a State Aid district, nor did we qualify for State Aid during this time period. As such we are not able to ask for a State Aid Recalculation to help offset the refunds.
What about budget Carryforward?	The district has had $14 million in M&O budget carryforward and $10 million in DAA carryforward the past couple of years. The carryforward in M&O becomes part of the following year budget. Within M&O, every penny is budgeted for.  The M&O budget primarily covers salaries and benefits, followed by utilities, and then supplies and services. When we have budget carryforward it is because we did not spend at the full amount we budgeted. For example, we budget for all positions, but if a position is not filled, not filled for the entire year, or filled at a lower dollar amount than originally budgeted that creates budget carryforward.  We allocate budget to sites and departments, but they do not always spend the entire amount allocated to them, which adds to the budget carryforward. The amount for budget carryforward can vary from year to year and will be less in Fiscal Year 2025-2026 given the Governing Board voted to use carryforward for salary increases.  Carryforward is one time money and if the district does not carryforward the same amount each year, the following year budget will decrease by the difference.  All carryforward in M&O is allocated for salaries, benefits, utilities, supplies and services.  There is no unallocated budget within M&O.  The district also has carryforward within the DAA budgets.  There is unallocated budget within DAA; however, like M&O carryforward, DAA carryforward is due to either expenditures being lower than anticipated or projects that were not completed by June 30 and thus will roll over to the next fiscal year. To use carryforward and not levy taxpayers, the district would be required to lower the district budget through a budget revision. Lowering the district M&O budget by $14 million would require the district to cut positions and budgets in fiscal year 2024-2025 and the district would be required to cut $14 million from the 2025-2026 budget.  Estimating $65,000 per FTE that would be roughly 215 FTE cut for the following year. Likewise, lowering the DAA budget for fiscal year 2024-2025 would require the district to reduce school and department budgets and cancelling capital projects.  Keeping in mind that some funds have already been obligated.  This is not required as part of the Qasimyar judgment and would be a decision solely at the discretion of the Governing Board.
What are the current cash balances	The attached link contains the May Financial Reports. May Financial Reports
Can the district use cash accounts to offset cash deficit?	No, the Maricopa County Treasure will reduce cash in the above-mentioned levy funds. The Uniform System of Financial Records (USFR) does not allow the type of transfer or journal entry that would be required to move money from a cash account to M&O, DAA, or Debt Service.
Tax Anticipation Notes (TANs) Vs. Line of Credit	If the district does not have enough cash available when the treasurer withdraws funds for the refund, the cash deficit must be covered by either a line of credit estimated at 8.5% interest rate or TANs. If the district were to approve TANs the interest rate is estimated between 4-6%. Using an estimated $17.5 million the difference of the various rates and resulting differential in cost to taxpayers is as follows: ·       2.5% (8.5% versus 6% max in Resolution) $437,500 a year ·       3.0% (8.5% versus 5.5%) $525,000 a year ·       3.5% (8.5% versus 5.0%) $612,500 a year ·       4.0% (8.5% versus 4.5% $700,000 a year ·       4.5% (8.5% versus 4.0%) $787,500 a year
Are there any other solutions to offset the cash deficit?	The district could purposefully use cash carryforward within the levied accounts (not excess cash or budget) to strategically manage cash deficits while manually adjusting tax levies over the next couple of years. This would require approval from the County Board of Supervisors to levy for anticipated cash deficits and the Finance Department to critically examine timing and amounts for all district expenditures.  Possibly delaying payments or drawing on the line of credit.
Can the District solve the cash issues with the levy accounts due to the Qasimyar v. Maricopa County judgment without a levy to taxpayers?	Not without catastrophically impacting students, the classroom, and all district operations. The effect of the Qasimyar judgement is that some taxpayers were overcharged while others were undercharged between the years of 2015 and 2023 this judgement addresses that mistake by the county assessor.

Rebuttals to Recent Claims 

Claim: SUSD blames declining enrollment on birth rates, instead of dissatisfaction. 

Enrollment Data: Enrollment information was obtained for entry and exit dates. Withdrawal codes were examined. Students who graduated, obtained a GED, were incarcerated, moved out the state or country, or passed away were not included. Students who left to be homeschooled, dropped out, were dropped for excessive unexcused absences, left the district, or left without a record of what new school they were going to were retained for analysis. Note that students moving within the state of Arizona but out of SUSD boundaries are included in this total and could not be filtered out. Therefore, this chart is the upper range of students who have left as a result of parental dissatisfaction. The percentage of enrolled students who left for a reason that could possibly be connected to parental dissatisfaction was calculated for school years 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024.

Fact: The percentage of students leaving SUSD due to parental dissatisfaction has decreased over the past 3 school years.

 

SUSD Withdrawal Rates by School Year and Reason

Year	Moved Out of District	Dropped due to Unexcused Absence	No Record of New School	Drop Out	Home School
2021-2022	3.81%	0.56%	0.77%	0.05%	0.15%
2022-2023	3.41%	0.24%	0.66%	0.11%	0.12%
2023-2024	2.85%	0.22%	0.85%	0.04%	0.13%

Analysis: An Independent-Samples Kruskal-Wallis Test was conducted using state enrollment data for the past three October 1 public file data sets.

Birth Rate Data: For the three school years examined, the typical 12^th grade student was born in 2005 or 2006. The typical kindergartener was born in 2017 or 2018. Between the years 2005 and 2018, the United States as a whole has experienced a decline in birth rates from 13.945 to 11.968. The average birth rate for the years between 2005 and 2018 was 12.98. For 2004 to 2017, it was 13.127; for 2003 to 2016, it was 13.267. (https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/USA/united-states/birth-rate ). 

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the 2018 birth rate was the lowest in 32 years. (https://www.npr.org/2019/05/15/723518379/u-s-births-fell-to-a-32-year-low-in-2018-cdc-says-birthrate-is-at-record-levelOver).

Fact: The evidence of declining enrollment due to declining birth rates is based in fact.

If parental dissatisfaction resulted in less enrollment in higher grades, then withdrawal rates would be increasing. If birth rates were the only factor in enrollment trends, both BASIS and SUSD schools would show the same enrollment trends across grade spans. However, withdrawal rates in SUSD are decreasing and enrollment trends are different. To determine if the patterns in enrollment are statistically significant, SPSS statistical software was used to analyze the data set using three key grade spans: Elementary K-5, Middle School 6-8, and High School 9-12.

Null Hypothesis: The distribution of enrollment is the same across Grade Span categories in Scottsdale-area schools.

Data: The October 1 official enrollment data was obtained from the Arizona public files for School Years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24. Two test groups and two control groups were created. Group 1 used BASIS Scottsdale K-12 data, Group 2 used SUSD K-12 data, Group 3 used Arizona State K-12 Data, and Group 4 used Maricopa County K-12 data. Preschool data was excluded because BASIS does not have preschool enrollment.

An Independent-Samples Kruskal-Wallis Test was conducted using state Enrollment data in Elementary, Middle School, and High School grade spans was conducted.

The mean enrollments by grade span and distributions are listed here:

Group	Grade Span	Mean
Arizona	Elementary K-5	80213.28
Arizona	Middle School	85642.33
Arizona	High School	91626.17
Maricopa County	Elementary K-5	52994.22
Maricopa County	Middle School	56798.56
Maricopa County	High School	61332.83
BASIS Scottsdale	Elementary K-5	194.72
BASIS Scottsdale	Middle School	170.33
BASIS Scottsdale	High School	77.58
Scottsdale Unified District	Elementary K-5	1388.06
Scottsdale Unified District	Middle School	1538.44
Scottsdale Unified District	High School	1973.00

 

Analysis: The change in Enrollment across grade spans was statistically significant for all four groups, p<.001. 

Both Control Groups and SUSD did show an increase in enrollment across the grade spans, while BASIS Scottsdale showed a decrease in enrollment. For Arizona and Maricopa County the change in Enrollment between Middle School and High School was not statistically significant. For BASIS Scottsdale and SUSD, the change in Enrollment between Elementary School and Middle School was not significant. What is distinguishing in these comparisons, is that while the change in Enrollment between Middle School and High School was statistically significant for both BASIS Scottsdale and SUSD, enrollment increased for SUSD but decreased for BASIS Scottsdale. For some reason, many students are leaving BASIS during the transition to High School while the trend in Arizona and Maricopa County is for there to be more students. Additionally, SUSD experienced an unusually large gain in enrollment when compared to either control group. This would suggest greater satisfaction among SUSD parents than BASIS Scottsdale parents as students move from middle school to high school.

Claim: SUSD has ignored best practices (based on input from Mandarin teachers) and has failed to take advantage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology

Fact: SUSD has not ignored best practices. Multiple professional developments are conducted each year to instruct and improve upon best practices. Under Dr. Menzel’s leadership, SUSD has enacted Strategic Action Teams (StAT) that were created to implement the June 2022 Strategic Plan. The Strategic Action Teams include: MTSS-Academics, MTSS-Behavior, Innovation in Teaching and Learning, Talent Attraction and Retention, Strategic Partnerships, and Optimized Learning Resources.

Beginning in 2022, the StAT members started Planning Initiatives. By 2023, all teams had begun the implementation phase. Currently, all teams are Implementing and Sustaining the Initiatives. 

Part of the Innovation in Teaching and Learning StAT team has been to implement the use of AI across the district. This year, SUSD piloted the use of Magic School for all teachers. Additionally, an AI team was created to address the issues involved with student use of AI and how to educate students on the proper and ethical use of AI.

During the current 2023-2024 school year,  22,355 students are taking classes from 1,295 teachers. In the World Language department, approximately 6,858 students have taken at least one foreign language class taught by 68 teachers. Of these, 179 students and 3 teachers were from Mandarin courses. Mandarin courses acounted for about 2.6% of all World Languge students and 0.8% of all students. The district’s Mandarin teachers account for 4.4% of World Language teachers and 0.2% of all SUSD teachers. Although any set of teachers expressing concerns needs to be explored further, this is the only group mentioned (and did not cite specific concerns) and a relatively small group. Using 0.2% of SUSD teachers to imply systemic dissatisfaction is misleading.

Claim: SUSD’s academic performance is due to having advantageous demographics and when adjusted for Socioeconomic Status (SES) and racial mix, SUSD “significantly underperformed” and that when adjusted for SES, Chandler outperforms SUSD.

Two sources for this claim were cited, U.S. News High School Rankings and the Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University. Educational Opportunity Project current data reflects information from 2008-09 through 2017-18 for District-level reports.

Analysis: Its most current report indicated the SUSD was performing as well as or above expectations for districts with similar SES; however, this data is too old to be useful for a current evaluation. There is also limited data for COVID recovery in Arizona between 2019 and 2022. Incomplete SES data made comparisons for these years impossible.

Data: Each year, U.S. News and World Report publishes rankings for each U.S. high school. 2024 rankings are actually created from the 2021-22 school year data. Within these pages are Overall Student Performance adjusted for Demographic Expectations. SUSD high schools did not underperform. SUSD and Chandler performed similarly. To find this data, use the links in the table below, scroll down to Test scores and select “See more test scores.”

• Desert Mountain: Well Above Expectations
• Chaparral: Well Above Expectations
• Saguaro: Somewhat Above Expectations
• Arcadia: Somewhat Above Expectations
• Scottsdale Online: Well Above Expectations
• Coronado: Somewhat Below Expectations
• Arizona College Prep-Erie Campus: Well Above Expectations
• Hamilton HS: Well Above Expectations
• Basha HS: Somewhat Above Expectations
• Perry HS: Somewhat Above Expectations
• Chandler Online: Well Above Expectations
• Chandler HS: Somewhat Below Expectations
• Dr. Camille Casteel HS: Somewhat Above Expectations

Analysis: Since both data sources cited were from the 2021-2022 school years, data was collected to determine the trends in demographics and test scores since 2021-2022. First, the demographic percentages was analyzed to see if the demographics has changed since 2021-2022. Students were coded as either belonging to an advantageous or disadvantageous demographic group according to the groupings used in the U.S. News rankings. Over the past three school years, SUSD’s demographic profile has slightly shifted, with the advantageous group decreasing and the disadvantageous group increasing.

School year	Advantageous	Disadvantageous
2021-2022	70.35%	29.65%
2022-2023	70.29%	29.71%
2023-2024	69.87%	30.13%

Beginning this spring, the ACT is reporting National Percentile Ranks for each student. Additionally, the National Ranks have been added to roster reports for the past three school years. The State Contract ACT data was accessed to evaluate and compare the trends for SUSD students to the nation. The ACT reports content scores for Math, Science, Reading, and English. There are also three additional scores reported. The Composite score is the average of the four content areas. The STEM score is an average of math and science. The English Language Arts Score is the average of Reading, English, and Writing. The national ranks for SUSD have been consistently increasing.  The table below displays the data.

Year	Composite	Math	Science	English	Reading	Writing	ELA	STEM
Spring 2022	54	55	53	55	53	74	59	54
Spring 2023	56	57	53	57	53	70	61	55
Spring 2024	58	59	56	58	55	74	63	58

 

Fact: Given the slight gain in disadvantageous students, ACT rankings would be expected to either stay the same or slightly decrease, yet the opposite is true. During the past three ACT, the spring 2024 has the highest national ranks, contrary to the claim made.

Claim: U.S. News is a balanced approach to school rankings

Data: The annual U.S. News & World Report High School rankings are based on lagging indicators. First, while stating these are 2024 ranks, the data is actually from 2021-2022, technically representing 2022 high school rankings.

Second, the rankings are not balanced. The college Readiness and College Breadth indicators compose 40% of the total score. These indicators rate the number of students taking and passing Advanced Placement (AP) tests. BASIS students are required to take multiple AP tests to graduate. Traditional public high schools do not require this of students. According to the College Board, approximately 34.6% of 2022 U.S. public high school graduates took at least one AP exam and 21.6% had a score of at least 3 on one AP exam. Using this indicator as 40% of a grade greatly favors schools that have AP exams as a graduation requirement.

 

Appendix 1: Methodology of the U.S. News & World Report High School Rankings

The U.S. News & World Report High School rankings use six indicators to produce an overall national ranking (methodology of U.S. News rankings, 2024). The six indicators and their weights are as follows: College Readiness 30%, College Curriculum Breadth 10%, State Assessment Proficiency 20%, State Assessment Performance 20%, Underserved Student Performance (equity gap) 10%, Graduation Rate 10%. Although the ranking is stated as the 2024 Rank, all six indicators are lagging indicators from the 2021-2022 academic school year or earlier. Unlike the mandated Career and College Readiness Indicator used for state letter grades, no indicator was used to represent career readiness.

Each school in the rankings is given a directory page that indicates the score for each indicator. These scores are then paired with district (if applicable) and state scores. Also listed are other distinguishing characteristics used in the rankings.

To be ranked, schools must have an enrollment of at least 15 students enrolled in 12^th grade and assessment data available. “…missing data for student body, subgroup level assessment data and graduation rates was imputed.” In some cases, this meant that even though no statistics were available for graduation rates and underserved populations, the data was included in the rankings. Scores were standardized about their means and divided by their standard deviations. If there were not at least 10 students in at least one underserved subgroup (Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, or Economically Disadvantaged students), the Equity Gap was not calculated. These schools were assigned an external gap of zero. Only schools with an equity gap ‘measurably below the national average’ were given an equity gap score.

Source: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/how-us-news-calculated-the-rankings

NOTE: BASIS schools require students to take multiple AP exams to graduate. This would provide a score of 100% in both the College Readiness and College Breadth indicators (40% of score). Traditional public high schools do not have this requirement; therefore, all traditional (non-charter and non-magnet) public high schools are at a disadvantage in the high school rankings.

August 5, 2024

We're looking forward to greeting your students on Monday, August 5, the first day of the 2024-2025 school year.

We would like to address misinformation that has been circulating within our community regarding the alleged turnover of principals within the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD).

First and foremost, it is important to clarify that SUSD takes immense pride in cultivating and nurturing education leaders within our district. We celebrate the achievements of those who choose to spread their wings to take on new roles within our own district, as well as pursue leadership opportunities elsewhere. Some who have dedicated decades of service to our schools choose to retire or resign due to personal or family obligations. This turnover is a natural part of any organization's evolution.

Specifically, inaccuracies have been shared regarding the number of principals who have left the district since 2020. Contrary to claims circulating on social media and repeated in the April 30, 2024, Governing Board meeting, the figure of 41 principals having left the district during this time frame is not accurate. To provide clarity, we would like to present a full and accurate list of our current principals. It reflects shifts in leadership, mostly from within, that have occurred during the past four school years, 2020-21 to 2023-24:

Anasazi
- Jennifer Waldron (since July 2019; former Redfield and Copper Ridge Assistant Principal)

Arcadia
- Dr. Cain Jagodzinski (hired July 2020; left to become Fountain Hills Superintendent, July 2022)
- Dr. Janelle Danskey (since July 2022)

Chaparral
- Todd Dreifort (named Interim Principal, July 2018; named to permanent position, July 2019; resigned June 2022 to take position in Texas for personal/family reason)
- Josh Pantier (since July 2023, promoted from Interim Principal; former Chaparral Assistant Principal)

Cherokee
- Walt Chantler (Cherokee principal since July 2010; former Tavan and Pueblo Assistant Principal; former Sequoya Interim Principal, former Zuni and Redfield Principal)

Cheyenne
- Grace Stombres (appointed July 2014; retired June 2023; returned 2023-24 as part-time district employee; former Chaparral Assistant Principal)
- Alisha Kellum (since July 2023; former Desert Mountain Assistant Principal)

Cochise
- Sheila Miller (since July 2010; former Copper Ridge Principal; former Cheyenne Assistant Principal)

Cocopah
- Nick Noonan (appointed July 2017; former Copper Ridge Assistant Principal; former Kiva Principal; named Scottsdale Online Principal, July 2022)
- Joseph Olney (since July 2022; former Coronado Assistant Principal)

Copper Ridge
- Tim Eyerman (since July 2019; departing June 2024 for out-of-state opportunity)
- Brittany Walker (July 2024)

Coronado
- Amy Palatucci (since July 2018; resigned effective December 2024; named Interim Principal, July 2018; named to permanent position, July 2019; former Arcadia Assistant Principal)
- Assistant Principal Melinda Splitek named Interim Principal, April 2024
*Successor pending: Ms. Splitek is being recommended for the Coronado Principal position at the 6/11/24 Governing Board meeting

Desert Canyon Elementary
- Kim Mills (since July 2018; former Pima Assistant Principal)

Desert Canyon Middle
- Robert Akhbari (since July 2019; former Saguaro, Kiva and Cheyenne Assistant Principal)

Desert Mountain
- Dr. Lisa Hirsch (since July 2017; retiring June 2024)
- John Andrews (effective July 2024; former Desert Mountain and Arcadia Assistant Principal)

Echo Canyon
- Kat Hughes (since July 2016)

Hohokam
- Chuck Rantala (since July 2013; former Desert Canyon Elementary Assistant Principal, Interim Principal and Principal)

Hopi
- Dr. Tamara Jagodzinski (July 2016; named Tonalea Middle School Principal, July 2022)
- Anne Plenkovich (July 2022)

Ingleside
- Dr. Chris Thuman (former SUSD Community Education Director; named Principal July 2016; moved Dec. 2020 to oversee Scottsdale Online during COVID; left for district position in Queen Creek Unified School District, June 2021)
- Erin Kadera (former Ingleside Assistant Principal, named Interim Principal Dec. 2020; named Echo Canyon Assistant Principal, July 2021)
- Dr. Junior Michael (July 2021)

Kiva
- Alice Spingola (July 2018; retired June 2021; returned to district as ESSER Coordinator, 2022; named 2023-2024 Laguna Interim Principal; retiring June 2024)
- Matt Gromek (since July 2021 – promoted from Assistant Principal position)

Laguna
- Dr. Brooke Williams (July 2018; promoted to SUSD Director of Special Education, July 2022)/
- Dr. Gena Aikman (was Cochise Assistant Principal July 2010-June 2022; named Laguna Principal, July 2022; retired - personal/family reason, June 2023)
- Alice Spingola (see Kiva)
- Kristina Kelly (July 2024)

Mohave
- Dr. Chris Asmussen (July 2011-June 2022; left for district position in Paradise Valley Unified School District)
- Scott Mohn (July 2022; reassigned Jan. 2023; resigned June 2023)
- Kristen Tindall (Assistant Principal, became Acting Principal, Jan. 2023; named Desert Mountain Assistant Principal, July 2023)
- Paul Ferrero (since July 2023; former Coronado Assistant Principal)

Mountainside
- Adam Luke (since July 2019; resigning for family reasons, June 2024; former Chaparral Assistant Principal)
*Successor pending – Chaparral Assistant Principal Amy Hardy is being recommended for the Mountainside Principal position at the 6/11/24 Governing Board meeting

Navajo
- Matt Patzlaff (since July 2017; former Copper Ridge Assistant Principal)

Pima
- Chris Hodo (since July 2020)

Pueblo
- Shelley Hummon (since October 2017; former Assistant Principal at Pima and Hohokam; former Principal/ co-Principal of Supai/Tonalea)

Redfield
- Dr. Christine Bonow (appointed July 2011, promoted from Assistant Principal; promoted to SUSD Community Education Director, July 2021)
- Dr. Amanda Rand (since July 2022; former Hopi Assistant Principal; former Copper Ridge Dean)

Saguaro
- Ann Achtziger (since December 2016); promoted from Interim Principal; former Saguaro & Mohave Assistant Principal)

Scottsdale Online Learning
- Dr. Chris Thuman (left June 2021 for district position in Queen Creek Unified School District)
- Nick Noonan (since July 2022)

Sequoya
- Veronica Leiper (since July 2014, promoted from Assistant Principal; former Kiva Assistant Principal)

Tavan
- Julie Ballard (since July 2019, promoted from Assistant Principal)

Tonalea K-8/Middle School
- Dr. David Priniski (appointed July 2017; left July 2022 to be Yavapai Principal as part of the Coronado Learning Community’s reconfiguration; named SUSD Director of State & Federal Programs, July 2023); also, former Supai/Tonalea K-8 co-Principal, former Tonalea ES Principal)
- Dr. Tamara Jagodzinski (since July 2022; former Hopi Principal; former Pima & Hohokam Assistant Principal)

Yavapai
- Dr. David Priniski (left July 2023 for district position - see Tonalea)
- Kelley Perry (July 2023, promoted from Hohokam Assistant Principal)

To summarize, since the 2020-2021 school year:

• 16 SUSD Principals remain in their positions at the close of the 2023-2024 school year; 14 of the 16 will return for the 2024-25 school year
• 25 out of SUSD’s 30 current or soon-to-be Principals have served as either Assistant Principals and/or Principals with the district prior to assuming their current positions
• 4 Principals have retired or will retire: 2 in 2023; 2 are effective 6/30/24
• 3 Principals have left schools to take district-level positions within SUSD
• 3 Principals have left to take district-level positions with other Arizona school districts
• 1 Principal moved out of state for personal/family reasons
• 1 Principal is leaving for an out-of-state education opportunity

We hope that this clarification dispels misunderstandings, concerns, and outright falsehoods circulating in our community regarding the stability and effectiveness of SUSD leadership. The fact that our schools have leaders who have and continue to advance within our organization is, in fact, a sign of SUSD’s great strength and good health.

Our district remains committed to providing exceptional education and support to all students, and we are grateful for the dedication and hard work of our Scottsdale Unified School District principals, assistant principals, teachers, staff, and administrators who make that possible.

We would like to address misinformation that has been circulating within our community regarding the alleged turnover of principals within the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD).

First and foremost, it is important to clarify that SUSD takes immense pride in cultivating and nurturing education leaders within our district. We celebrate the achievements of those who choose to spread their wings to take on new roles within our own district, as well as pursue leadership opportunities elsewhere. Some who have dedicated decades of service to our schools choose to retire or resign due to personal or family obligations. This turnover is a natural part of any organization's evolution.

• , involved extensive efforts to determine the origin of the gun, identify the responsible party, and address potential threats.  The police worked through the night, conducting interviews, ultimately making an arrest around 1 a.m.  The ongoing investigation requires further steps, including search warrants and additional interviews, before formal charges can be brought. The priority remains ensuring the safety of students, and any new information will be addressed as the investigation progresses.
• Lockdown drills are required three times a year. We are not experts at carrying out the real thing because thankfully we don’t have a lot of lockdowns in our district.  Each time, we learn lessons and continue to get better at our response and communication.
• Two command posts were established—one at the school and another elsewhere in the district, involving district leadership and the Scottsdale Police.  Collaboration between SUSD and the police ensures coordinated communication, prioritizing parents and staff with accurate and regular updates.   Additionally, the information flow extends to other district leaders to equip them with the knowledge necessary for addressing questions or concerns from various stakeholders.
• A major challenge is the prevalence of misinformation on social media.  Factual information will come from SUSD and SPD.  Suspicions should be shared with police or administrators, not on social media.  Our first priority is the safety of the students and staff on campus, preserving investigative integrity and communications with families.
• There was a proliferation of false charges on social media.  Parents are urged not to contribute to misinformation and are reassured that the student wrongly associated with the incident had no involvement.  
• There was uncertainty about the duration of the situation, prompting the preparation of a team at a different school to accommodate the potential need for student/guardian reunification.  The initial plan was to implement a reunification process, a nationwide procedure where parents/guardians fill out forms, verify their identity, and reunite with their children.  This entire process can take several hours.  It was unnecessary because, as the dismissal time approached, in consultation with the police department and district personnel, a decision was made to delay the dismissal, and avoid the potential complications and additional stress for families with a reunification process.  The messaging might have seemed confusing due to these considerations, but the delay was implemented to ensure a smoother and more organized release.  Our messaging was never meant to mislead but rather reflected what we knew when we knew it.  Lessons learned: We recognize a need to better communicate with the students as there was some confusion with what to do and where to go in a delayed release.  
• Police did not yet have an arrest at the time of the release but also did not have a reason to continue to hold students back.  The gun was secured and there was no known threat.  Releasing students to their parents is what led to conversations and additional investigative leads ultimately resulting in an arrest.
• Some students at lunch brought backpacks with them to the gym.  A better option would have been for those to be left in the cafeteria.  Students in the gym were not all searched because police were able to narrow their investigation to those students who were in the classroom where the gun was found.
• SPD did have two dogs on campus to assist with their search/investigation.
• SPD will work with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to determine charges as well as any culpability for the owner of the firearm.  Police can confirm there was no intent to harm and no criminal intent, and the family is cooperating. They also confirmed the student who found it brought it.
• The Student Code of Conduct outlines potential discipline.  SUSD will conduct its own threat assessment and investigation.  The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the student’s privacy.  The district will not identify the student or share the resulting discipline.  Every student is entitled to due process.  Appropriate discipline will be applied after considering all relevant factors and gathering all the necessary facts.  Any recommendation for expulsion goes to an impartial hearing officer who makes a recommendation to the Governing Board.  The parents can appeal the hearing officer’s recommendation. Ultimately the Governing Board votes to expel or not. In accordance with Governing Board Policy  JICI Weapons in School and JKE Expulsion of Students.
• Cell phones are supposed to be “away for the day” at school.  However, this is something we will be reviewing as there was not consistent enforcement of this during this incident and we recognize the value of students being able to communicate with their parent/guardian during an emergency to confirm they are safe.
• The primary goal of a lockdown is to maintain a quiet and controlled environment when there is a perceived threat.  However, once it is determined that there is no active threat and the situation is under control, they transition to a "shelter in place" protocol.  This approach allows students to resume their activities in a more relaxed manner, avoiding the need for prolonged hiding.  The aim is to provide a space where students can feel more comfortable, receive guidance, and shift their focus back to normalcy.  This transitional period is another opportunity for improvement, ensuring that students and teachers are well-informed about the situation during this phase.
• Crisis counselors from the district were available to talk to students and will be back next week. The school staff, along with the Director of Student Services, met to discuss messaging and strategies for helping students process the event.  They emphasize the importance of addressing the emotional impact on students and providing a supportive environment for them to express their feelings.  Additional security, and police officers were also present on campus Friday.
• The district is always evaluating opportunities to enhance school safety. It starts first with reinforcing the basic fundamentals of DIG-IT (Lock Doors, Wear IDs, Lock Gates and IT - keep computer passwords safe). Other ideas like clear backpacks, no backpacks (going back to lockers) and metal detectors are also ideas that have been considered.  With 29 schools and many points of entry there is the question of feasibility as well as effectiveness.  The challenge lies in striking a balance between security and a welcoming learning environment.  Parents, students and staff are encouraged to be vigilant and "See Something, Say Something,” especially regarding social media where students might come across concerning information.  The goal is to foster an environment where students feel safe and empowered to report potential threats.

• Social media has a large impact on young people's behavior. Be aware of the pressure and negative effects on students who sometimes emulate what they see on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
• Parents are our partners in ensuring school security.  Making sure firearms are properly secured so a student cannot bring it to school is important.  Be SMART | Secure Gun Storage (besmartforkids.org)
• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Families and Educators (nasponline.org)

 

The Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board voted 3-0 on December 12th to accept the terms of the settlement reached by both parties. Two members abstained.

Plaintiffs brought a lawsuit against the District in May 2022.  Plaintiffs initiated settlement discussions with the District shortly before Plaintiffs’ depositions were scheduled to commence.  The settlement agreement settles that lawsuit without an admission of liability and once the court accepts this settlement, the allegations will be dismissed with prejudice (without the ability to refile).

Key points of settlement:

No Admission of Liability: This settlement is a resolution aimed at avoiding the continued expenses tied to prolonged legal proceedings.

Insurance Coverage: The parties have agreed to a settlement amount in lieu of incurring additional legal fees.  The decision is based on what is deemed reasonable and financially responsible for the District.  The District’s portion of the settlement is $25,000, which will be paid by insurance, not from the District's Maintenance & Operations budget.  The settlement amount is substantially less than the costs to the District and to its insurer of continuing to litigate the lawsuit. 

Individual Legal Expenses: Each party is responsible for its own legal expenses.

In sum, all parties involved have collectively decided to settle, recognizing the benefits of reaching a resolution without further legal proceedings.

SUSD is committed to transparency and being good financial stewards of district resources.  This settlement allows both parties to move forward and the district to remain focused on providing world-class, future-focused education for all.

We’d like to address the concern in the community that arose following a joint meeting of two student clubs, UNICEF and Amnesty International.

We want to make it unequivocally clear that Scottsdale Unified School District stands firmly against Antisemitism and Islamophobia both of which are on the rise, especially in the backdrop of the current Israel Hamas war.

We stand firmly against any action that involves hate speech, and anything that diminishes the dignity of any human being based on their religion, race, ethnicity, gender, or any other factors.We are committed to ensuring that every student feels seen, heard, and valued for who they are.

We are actively engaged in an "after-action review" to identify what happened, what could have been handled differently, and what safeguards can be implemented to address club content that may disrupt the learning environment

This experience serves as an opportunity to reflect on our practices and make improvements. Additionally, clubs with links to outside organizations are subject to greater review by theschool.  It's also a chance to help students recognize the unintended consequences of their actions. For the record, no one in either club intended to hurt anyone.

Federal law and Governing Board Policy is clear on this issue:

• ​Law of clubs
  The District must apply the law evenly to all students, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, ancestry, genetic information, in its programs or activities (Policy AC).
  
  
• Clubs are student-driven.
  Student clubs and club meetings are governed by board policy and law.  Policy JJAB states that all meetings shall be “student initiated and open to all students in the school.”  Non-school persons shall not “be permitted to direct, conduct, control or regularly attend such student group meetings.”
  
  
• Club sponsors are guides, not decision-makers.
  The student activities club sponsor handbook further guides club activity.  Specifically, the club sponsor role is “not to make decisions for the club but to provide information, counsel on outcomes, implement decisions, and ensure compliance with District procedures.”
  
  
• Federal law prohibits the denial of equal access to groups based on religious or political positions.
  The Equal Access Act provides: (a) It shall be unlawful for any public secondary school which receives Federal financial assistance and which has a limited open forum to deny equal access or a fair opportunity to, or discriminate against, any students who wish to conduct a meeting within that limited open forum on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical, or other content of the speech at such meetings (Sec. 802).
  
  
• SUSD has created a limited open forum that governs club activity.
  Because the district has created a limited open forum (see Policy JJAB) district rules that apply to those forums must be viewpoint neutral.  Administrators may regulate speech to maintain order and discipline on school premises and to protect the well-being of students and faculty but cannot regulate speech based on viewpoint.  

It is important to note that high school club participation is always optional, and club meetings are designed to provide students with a safe space to connect with like-minded peers while being inclusive of all. These clubs are driven by student interests, and our staff sponsors are there to supervise students during the meetings, as well as to help students navigate sometimes complex subjects and discussions in a civil and respectful fashion.

Because of the law outlined, the district would be violating its limited open forum rules if it were to disband the UNICEF and Amnesty International clubs or preclude students from meeting and presenting in their limited open forum.  The district oversees the activity to prevent disruption to the educational environment but does not regulate the viewpoints of the student club members.

A version of the slide show to be used at the joint club meeting circulated on social media in advance of the meeting raised concerns.  When DMHS administration was alerted to these concerns, efforts were taken to work with the sponsors to address them. However, in many minds, the effort fell short.

The Desert Mountain High School Principal has been communicating with students, parents and community leaders every step of the way. 

​Club Meeting Concerns – Thursday, November 2nd
Update on Club Meeting Concerns – Friday, November 3rd
There is no student “walk out” – Wednesday, November 8th

We appreciate the parents and students who have engaged in conversation and brought concerns to our attention so we can act. The safety and security of our students, school, and community is a shared responsibility and we appreciate your partnership. 

We remain committed to fostering a learning environment that values diversity and ensures that all students can engage in constructive dialogue and respectful discourse.  

Our schools host a variety of student-initiated clubs that meet outside of class time, during lunch or after school. These clubs often invite guest speakers as part of their activities.

We value the diversity of our student population and support their right to various opinions, beliefs, and interests as protected in the U.S. Constitution. Consistent with those rights, we do not regulate the viewpoints of student-initiated clubs.

Recently, the Turning Point USA Club at Chaparral High School made plans to host a guest speaker on October 23rd, during lunch, from 12:45-1:20 p.m. This is not unusual for this club and others on the Chaparral campus.

What made this request different is that the national Turning Point USA organization advertised the speaking engagement on its website as being part of a national tour, inviting non-students, and requiring tickets. We learned that adults not affiliated with the school were able to secure a ticket to the club’s meeting. We are not able to accommodate public events of that scale and magnitude during the school day. 

After careful consideration and in light of these concerns, the speaking engagement has been canceled. Our mission is to educate students and teach them to think critically, while allowing them space to pursue additional shared interests and passions in a safe environment. While we support freedom of speech and expression, we must ensure the safety and well-being of our students and hosting a public event during the school day would compromise that commitment.

Our high school and other facilities in the district are available to be rented for events outside of school hours. We have made that option available. Additionally, the club has offered to host this speaker in the future, assuming the speaker can agree to the same parameters as other guest speakers.

Safety is a top priority for the Scottsdale Unified School District. We are committed to putting your children first. That is true on school campuses, as well as on our school buses.

The expectation is that all students and staff will wear their SUSD-issued ID each day. If a student loses or damages their ID card, they must report to the school office or high school bookstore for a replacement ID.  The Governing Board approved a $5 replacement fee.

All student IDs have a barcode that is used to scan for meals in the cafeteria and to check out books in the library.

This year, each student ID also has Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) capability. RFID is not a global positioning system (GPS) and has no tracking capability on its own. Like the RFID in your credit card and debit card, it only works when tapped. The district piloted this program last year and the Governing Board approved it.

The RFID in student ID cards is ONLY scanned so that the district’s Transportation department is able to account for those students who board and exit a bus. This applies not only to those who ride the bus regularly to and from school, but also to those who attend field trips and athletic/extracurricular events. The RFID student ID will also be used in any emergency evacuation to assist with parent reunification. The RFID is used to ensure we have accounted for each child and is solely a safety measure implemented by the district.

The RFID ID card system was purchased to work in conjunction with our Transportation routing system.  The transportation routing system allows parents to download an app that has the capability to track their student’s school bus, that their student boarded the bus, and the stop their student exited the bus.  Already during the first week of the new school year last week, the system proved invaluable and reassured several parents regarding their students’ whereabouts.

RFID capability also exists in SUSD staff badges to provide building access.  

FAQs

How does the RFID capability work?
The student IDs utilize passive RFID technology, which means the ID cards do not emit any signals unless one is near an RFID reader, typically within a range of 1-2 inches.  Within the district, the RFID readers are only installed on the buses to record when students board or exit the bus.  Each student scan is date/time stamped, and the encrypted data is wirelessly transmitted to the cloud.  It's important to note that the student ID card cannot be tracked once the student moves away from the onboard RFID scanner. The bus itself is tracked using GPS, and the student's location is only recorded when they board or disembark from the school bus.

How is the solution secure?
The RFID cards are encrypted and contain a unique ID number, which is associated with a specific student rider in the backend database.

Will the Student IDs be used to track students? No, the student ID cards will not be used to track students within the school premises. While the cards have a passive RFID chip, there are no readers installed inside the school for the purpose of tracking a student's location.  The RFID reader will only be used on the school bus. It reads the student's ID card as the student boards or exits the bus, logging the time and location. This measure is in place to enhance student safety, particularly for younger students who might mistakenly disembark at the wrong stop.

What information is stored on the student ID?
The student ID card only stores a 40-bit card number. No personally identifiable information, such as ID number, name, grade, campus, or social security number, is stored on the card's RFID chip.

Why is the District using RFID technology for bus ridership?
RFID technology has been chosen because it offers efficiency in quickly boarding students onto buses without creating long lines or unnecessary delays. Compared to barcodes or magnetic strip technology, RFID provides greater security as each card has a unique identifier, rather than directly displaying the student's ID number. This enables the district to deactivate a student card if it is lost or if the student leaves the district.

Parent choice is not new.  SUSD strongly believes in school choice, and parents have long chosen the school that best meets their students’ needs.  As such, we offer various teaching and learning styles, including Traditional, Dual Language Immersion, International Baccalaureate and STEAM programs. 

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is responsible for tracking the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA), or school voucher, program.  The information provided by the ADE regarding SUSD is the total number of ESAs that have been awarded to students who reside within the district’s boundaries.  The vast majority of these students did not attend SUSD schools prior to 2020 and, most likely, have never attended SUSD schools.  SUSD enrollment has not declined by 7,700 since 2020, nor has it declined by 5,872 in the last year, as some have claimed.

As of 2020, SUSD has declined in enrollment by 1,319 students, 804 of whom exited during the pandemic, when enrollment in public schools declined nationwide.  Our own exit survey data shows that at least 734 of those 1,319 students left to attend other public schools, charter schools, or online schools.

Because of how the ADE data is presented it can be easily misunderstood.  What it confirms, however, is that thousands of students who reside within SUSD’s boundaries who were already attending private school are now receiving ESA state funding that helps offset their tuition.

During the fall of 2021, IT and Communications partnered to learn more about messaging options on the market because of growing dissatisfaction with SUSD’s current solution for mass communication. A larger strategy unfolded to determine how various non-centralized tools could be eliminated to improve communication with families, support a broader range of home languages, provide support for staff, and provide messaging data to help staff enhance communication with families.

After reviewing what was available and receiving feedback from users of other communication platforms in use in SUSD, ParentSquare emerged as a tool that could replace several others and also provide a more intuitive user-interface for staff and parents, with parents at the heart of the platform’s design and approach.

ParentSquare was procured using a S.A.V.E. (Strategic Alliance for Volume Expenditures) Cooperative Purchasing contract. S.A.V.E. is a consortium of Arizona local government agencies that work together to make major purchases cost-effective. Tempe Union High School District (TUHSD) issued an RFP in March 2021 on behalf of all S.A.V.E. members. In May 2021, TUHSD awarded RFPs to ParentSquare and Blackboard. After District leadership explored multiple notification platforms, the SUSD Purchasing Department reviewed the cooperative’s RFP documents and, in September 2022, determined the RFP complies with all required state and district procurement rules.

SUSD pursues data protection agreements with all vendors. In the case of ParentSquare, its data- protection agreement indicates which industry-recognized data-security framework the vendor has implemented and includes an exhibit for the deletion and verification of deletion of data upon our request.

ParentSquare strictly adheres to all applicable laws and regulations, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and has received iKeepSafe’s FERPA Certification and COPPA Safe Harbor Certification. These certifications demonstrate ParentSquare’s commitment to providing the highest standards of student data security and privacy protection.

ParentSquare was founded by a parent, for parents. In a statement it shared, “We understand and prioritize student data privacy and we believe that open and transparent communication is crucial in addressing parental concerns.” Read the company’s Privacy Policy here:  www.parentsquare.com/privacy.

ParentSquare does not create content for families or communicate directly with families. Schools and district staff only have full control over the messages that families receive. The ParentSquare platform is the tool that allows staff to generate lockdown messages and mass notifications to parents. It is also the tool teachers, principals, coaches, club sponsors and the district will use to communicate with parents other than individual emails, telephone calls and face-to-face conversations. We are optimistic our use of ParentSquare will result in stronger, more streamlined, school-home and district-home communications.

The District's public records department publishes all requests for public records with the exception of items that concern requests for student records or that would reveal personally identifiable information regarding students.  The District has withheld publication of two (2) public records requests this past school year. 

The GovQA software allows for the posting of "trending topics" on the forward-facing District website. The District posts information regarding student counts in that location.  Each time there is a post, the software catalogs it and assigns a number.  The software also assigns numbers to any public records request submitted. These numbers are sequential and only the public records request numbers are shown in the portal. 

Recent claims in social media that the District is not being transparent are untrue.  The items that are not displayed are either (1) related to students; (2) automatically generated from the “trending topics" portal; or (3) a request that was withdrawn.   

Whether through teacher, principal or district communications; in person, via email, through Let’s Talk or over the telephone, SUSD is in - and, in fact, promotes - constant communication with parent and community stakeholders.  Education is not a one-way street.  It requires transparency and honesty.  It requires having the best interests of students in mind 100% of the time.  It also requires business efficiencies in its $251 million operation.

Last week, the Governing Board approved its meeting schedule for the 2023-2024 school year.  In order to streamline and make the Governing Board’s work more efficient, you will see that this new calendar calls for fewer “Special Meetings” next school year.  Special Meetings accommodate reports by district leaders on the progress of Board initiatives, present ideas for new ones, and allow time for in-depth discussion and consideration. Additional Special Meetings can be scheduled at any time with 24-hour notice.

While Special meetings always have and continue to be open to the public, they are not – and never have been – the meetings at which public comment is taken from the community.  That opportunity is reserved for the state-required, monthly, Regular meetings of the Board, and, contrary to what you might have heard or read, we are not reducing the number of Regular meetings that will be held next school year.  All of the business matters requiring Governing Board approval will still be attended to over the course of the school year in the revised calendar, whether it is at a Special Meeting or a Regular Meeting.  Other school districts around the Valley, such as Queen Creek and Higley Unified, follow a similar schedule.

You may have seen some recent social media, suggesting that the SUSD administration is attempting to “muzzle” public input or reduce transparency.  This could not be further from the truth.  Our staff remains committed to partnering first with parents and hearing from all community partners and stakeholders to serve the best interests of our students.

While most concerns are addressed by a teacher and/or principal at the school site, we understand that additional support from district leadership is sometimes necessary.  District leaders are also available via Let’s Talk.  Additionally, the district will host Town Hall meetings in each learning community next school year.  We value connecting families with district leaders so they can answer questions face-to-face.  We find it to be much more meaningful than engaging in misinformation being spread about us on social media.

To be even more transparent and enhance the trust our community has in our mission, vision and values, we are launching SUSD In-Focus.  This is an opportunity for those who are not already familiar with this district to connect and learn about the breadth and depth of our organization.  Through Learning Community tours, participants will see for themselves what world-class, future-focused learning looks like.

Public Comment is important, certainly; however, policy does not permit us to respond on the spot or engage in conversations during a Governing Board meeting to try to address the concern being expressed.  While problems are not solved during the public comment portion of Regular meetings, it is an opportunity for our entire Governing Board to hear what’s on the community’s mind.  That opportunity is available at each Regular Governing Board meeting, held once per month when school is in session.  To be clear, SUSD is not reducing the number of Regular Board meetings or the public’s opportunity to connect with district leaders.  That is antithetical to who we are and what we aim to achieve.

Unitown

History:  Unitown was brought to SUSD in 1989.  Some staff and students attended the Anytown State version and brought back the information to share and created the district program.  Since then, the program has been adapted to fit more of a leadership and education focus but it is still delivered in a discussion-based format using diversity topics.

Purpose: The purpose of Unitown is to build human relation bridges for understanding each other and ourselves. Unitown is designed to bring about greater appreciation of the similarities of people regardless of their diversities of race, creed, abilities or any other differences they may have.

Student-led clubs: There are some site-based clubs whose purpose aligns with Unitown. Please note that each student-led club identifies purpose in their own words.

• Arcadia Clubs
• Chaparral Clubs
• Coronado Clubs
• Desert Mountain Clubs
• Saguaro Clubs

 Most Recent Camp: February 2023, Prescott, Arizona, 5 nights

87 students and staff attended this year. 

Application Process: Students can apply to attend and are selected after an interview process.  Parents are sent information on the topics we will cover and then we do a parent night where we answer all questions to parents who have students attending.  There has been positive feedback – including one of the parents was a Unitown attendee previously in the district (1993).

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Minitown

History:   Mini-town was developed as a way to get middle school students interested in supporting their direct communities and schools.  The year is unknown.

Purpose:  Kids need many skills to be successful students. Minitown will give them many of  those skills (collaboration, leadership, making friends, ability to talk in front of others, unorganized play, manners at the lunch table, etc.)

Student led clubs: There are some site-based clubs whose purpose aligns with Unitown. Please note that each student-led club identifies purpose in their own words.

• Cocopah Clubs
• Desert Canyon Clubs
• Ingleside Clubs
• Mohave Clubs
• Mountainside Clubs
• Tonalea School Website (pending club link)
• Cheyenne Clubs
• Copper Ridge Clubs
• Echo Canyon Clubs

Last Camp: March 2019, Mountainside Middle School

Please note that March 2020 was canceled due to COVID

Last location held: Mountainside Middle School-1 night camp

Selection Process: Minitown is advertised on school announcements. Students interested in Minitown self-refer and complete an application that requires parent signature. Information, including a packing list, is provided to students and parents. Each school is alloted 7-12 delegates. Delegates are middle school participants. Selection of counselors is done via an application.

Scottsdale Unified School District is Scottsdale’s fifth largest employer. It is a major economic driver, in addition to being a high-achieving public school district. However, if the Arizona Legislature does not act soon to rectify the archaic Aggregate Expenditure Limit (AEL), both the local and state economy stand to take a massive hit.

The AEL is a constitutional provision from 1980 that caps how much a school district can spend each fiscal year. It uses an outdated formula that is based on attendance and inflation rates. This year, the Legislature passed a bipartisan K-12 education budget, including a significant increase of nearly $800 million to public schools. Even so, Arizona ranks 47^th in the nation for education funding and, according to the Arizona Department of Education, K-12 public schools across the state will have to cut their current spending by $1.38 billion this spring unless swift legislative action is taken to override the AEL. Keep in mind, these are the funds that cover the daily operation of Arizona’s public schools. The state has the money. The Legislature has already appropriated the money, yet schools cannot spend those dollars unless two-thirds of the House and Senate vote to override the AEL.  This has been done in the past and is expressly permitted by the state Constitution.

According to numerous reports, as part of last summer’s state budget negotiations, Governor Doug Ducey indicated he would call a special session to address the AEL after the mid-term elections. There are a limited number of days remaining in 2022 for the Governor to honor his commitment. In the meantime, districts statewide consider the very real threat of having to reduce their budgets by 17.51%. For Scottsdale Unified, that equates to $30,196,497. That represents 45 school days in staffing costs. The impact would be real and would have a chilling effect on the district’s ability to attract and retain quality teachers and staff, and continue to deliver world-class, future-focused learning to our 22,000 students.

The legislature has until February 28 to override the AEL and fix this threat to funding for the current school year.  Given the number of new legislators who will take office in January and the fact that they were not part of the budget approval process earlier this year, the hope is that Gov. Ducey will yet call a special session to address this unfinished business with the same legislature that approved the funding.

This is not the first time this has happened. A nearly identical scenario played out last spring.

Because a two-thirds majority vote of both chambers is required to waive the limit, bipartisan support will be essential again. Arizona lawmakers need to work together to rectify this year’s funding cliff and craft a permanent solution that avoids the annual need for such legislative action.