[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6608315,"mediaKeyId","2939691-61be4955c3f2db63278edc12421a84c4","parentId",2939691,"title","CUSD leaders outline expansion plan for preschool and pre-K but warn funding gaps will limit growth","audioSeconds",3305,"startMs",774000,"endMs",4079000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939691-61be4955c3f2db63278edc12421a84c4&start=774&end=4079","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939691-61be4955c3f2db63278edc12421a84c4/thumbnail_774000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6608315/Arizona/CUSD-leaders-outline-expansion-plan-for-preschool-and-pre-K-but-warn-funding-gaps-will-limit-growth","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608315-ece399d00f91915c68643e69bffc58e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197706&Signature=IqdMb~rXHexTv~g9olvGfCVIGR-N3ZLxysMXZnLKI0GRb-V6RQGroTNLbTukCdTg7GhJDPqGCbD724~7SpdN1FiRNX74nyqC5MxESeSZfrmgjvnJplwcxqrg16Ohg0r7fxh~jySomHUFht8ZbTChrGftt7IxErT4t2aXWPeOt0LJVy156sVS8sA8eA3eQds11sxzyZIt4eEqlPMSABA3wu5278FroRlGJ367rFDFKYkFNWVrRh5QBEaLk22i~koFDsPCGh6Fl42IKc0bryXz4ecfNpmTHABX2CFI3RgrjYBD929FkcoPdZlHYINuEgMeElQVtz1LvHNcip1CV2pCnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)","date","2025-04-10T04:20:39.007Z","article","Chandler Unified School District officials on April 9 delivered a study-session update on the district's early childhood programming, describing the current program mix, data showing enrollment gaps, and plans to expand preschools and prekindergarten classrooms in the district.

District leaders said the goal is to expand high-quality early learning options so more 3- and 4-year-olds in Chandler can access preschool before kindergarten. Presenters framed the issue as both a local and national shortage of early learning access: nationally, presenters cited U.S. Census-based research showing roughly 18 million children ages 0 to 4 and that only about 18 percent of those children have access to an early childhood program; in Arizona, they said about 400,000 children age 0 to 4 live in the state and roughly 32 percent of Arizona's youngest learners participate in high-quality early-learning settings, an 11-percentage-point increase over two years that presenters said relied heavily on temporary federal dollars.

Why it matters: District staff told the board that early childhood programs improve school readiness for kindergarten and can increase district enrollment retention (the district reported a 72 percent retention rate from pre-K 4 into CUSD kindergarten). Leaders said maintaining and expanding programs will require continuing to braid multiple funding streams and addressing workforce and facility capacity.

What presenters said: Doctor (first name not formally given in the transcript) Fletcher opened the session with national and state enrollment context, then Doctor Marshall reviewed the district's history of preschool offerings and program design choices. Doctor Edgar described curriculum and professional-development work, and other staff detailed current operations. Highlights included:
- Program scale and growth plans: Staff reported that CUSD has consistently served about 1,000 early learners over the last five years but that the district's demographer counts roughly 16,000 children age 0 to 4 inside the CUSD boundary. The district said it hopes to operate approximately 47 preschool/prekindergarten classrooms beginning in the 2025'26 school year, though presenters noted some specialized classrooms still require licensing.
- Program types and sites: The district operates tuition-based Community Education preschools (including a Little Explorers program serving younger children), Title I full-day preschool classrooms where applicable, and inclusive classrooms that mix typically developing children with students who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Dual Language Exploration (DLE) programs for early learners were noted at Tarwater, Liberty and Freedom elementary sites.
- Staffing, licensing and curriculum: Presenters said all preschool teachers and paraprofessionals participate in common professional development, and the district has standardized curriculum and furniture procurement so classrooms are more consistent across sites. Preschool teachers use the My Teaching Strategies GOLD portfolio system historically; the district also said it is transitioning to an in-house early childhood outcomes survey and other curriculum-based measures for continuous monitoring.
- Funding and ''braided'' funding: Staff described a layered funding model that combines tuition (Community Education), First Things First scholarships/Quality First, Title I allocations (for families living in Title I boundaries), and federal special education funding required under IDEA for students with disabilities. Presenters emphasized that much of the recent expansion was enabled by federal ESSER dollars and warned that those one-time funds are temporary and that enrollment and service levels can shift when they expire.
- Measured results: District staff said preschool students show gains on early-childhood outcome surveys and that they have historical SACE-number tracking for students who attended district preschools; those historical analyses showed higher kindergarten readiness for children who attended CUSD preschool versus those who had limited or no preschool in earlier studies, though staff said a longer-term statewide tracking of outcomes no longer exists.

Concerns and limits: Board members and staff repeatedly returned to two constraints: (1) funding uncertainty once ESSER and other temporary grants end; and (2) workforce and licensing capacity, especially additional certified or licensed staff needed to operate and license new specialized classrooms. Staff said the Arizona Department of Health Services sets staff-to-child ratios for licensed preschool classrooms and that some specialized classrooms are still completing DHS licensing work. Presenters also noted practical issues such as drive patterns and site space that shape where preschools can be sited to support families' work travel.

District direction: Presenters did not seek formal board action at the April 9 session. Instead they asked the governing board for continued engagement on design choices and funding strategies while the district refines rollout plans. Staff outlined next steps including additional enrollment outreach, continuing to braid funding sources to sustain programs, finalizing licensing for specialized classrooms, and further aligning preschool curriculum with the K'12 continuum.

What the board asked: Board members asked for more quantitative tracking of cohorts (how preschool attendees fare in K'2), clarification on how many sites will host classrooms (staff later confirmed 17 of 31 elementary campuses host early childhood programs), and how enrollment projections will be updated as the district continues ongoing enrollment throughout the spring and summer.

Ending: District leaders told the board that more funds and more certified staff are required to reach the full expansion goals and that the district will return with implementation details and updates on enrollment and licensing as plans progress.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 9, 2025, Chandler USD Governing Board Study Session and Regular Business Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Chandler Unified School District officials on April 9 delivered a study-session update on the district's early childhood programming, describing the current program mix, data showing enrollment gaps, and plans to expand preschools and prekindergarten classrooms in the district.","taxTitle","Chandler Unified District #80 (4242), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",12979,"location","Arizona","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6608301,"Teachers and media specialists urge board to reject proposed 8-period elementary special schedule, endorse 7-period pilot",667,10106000,10773000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939691-61be4955c3f2db63278edc12421a84c4&start=10106&end=10773","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939691-61be4955c3f2db63278edc12421a84c4/thumbnail_10106000.jpg","/articles/6608301/Arizona/Teachers-and-media-specialists-urge-board-to-reject-proposed-8-period-elementary-special-schedule-endorse-7-period-pilot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608301-1dd270ba8e878e58fe1cd0b6eba3f72c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197706&Signature=fWNwMW26bOD6CP4cB4KY-R-cigPwYfuy-PmE4MpCe2Z8JKx4--Q1on7lZYwJE8-GPJJMtWV3vKYolRWrKVesFXCgbl2-rp-vOM9RjUoNZ24Zv3~HEB8plQYisp22Pq1CaA64-45P6F5v-TNeh4UEXjB-S3wLXwGKPmo55OvOR9dcxSjkYuO0KVfsO6oAT3kez3dPXuxmtJFnI2reCHUMGkSMak5kown-55ErX0n8Xs83NrI1oGfxiaFLsS0qDtSU8nPpNAL79omKL91pY3Ji5P0Znfq3~DL0HiQ4jfqls2HfrNIn4Fhp-vt6~uyf7hkCJUKmFvyRk~0JJ0cOHF0EMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several CUSD elementary specials teachers, media specialists and school staff used the public-comment portion of the April 9 meeting to press the governing board to reject a proposed eight-section daily specials schedule and instead continue with or refine the seven-section pilot the district tested at some schools.

What commenters said: Speakers described multiple operational problems they say would arise under an 8-section model. Major concerns raised by several commenters included:
- Transition time and instructional continuity: Teachers said a five-minute buffer between special classes (included in the seven-section pilot) is instructional time for greeting, calm dismissal, and transition; removing the buffer would force back-to-back classes with little time to set up centers or instruments and would reduce actual instructional time.
- Loss of prep and planning: Presenters said the 8-section scheme compresses teacher planning and impedes collaborative grade-level planning. Some claimed the 7-section schedule on paper appears equitable but the real-world effects differ by site size and grade configuration.
- Safety and space conflicts: Physical-education staff warned that scheduling specials during lunch/recess would create space conflicts (PE classes would lose dedicated outdoor space) and complicate supervision and indoor-recess arrangements on high-heat days.
- Library, technology and production tasks: Media specialists and librarians described numerous non-classroom duties (book circulation, inventory and cataloging, managing Accelerated Reader, shelving and procurement) that require blocks of uninterrupted time; they said shorter specials or loss of transition time would degrade library services and project-based learning preparation.
- Equity across campuses: Multiple speakers said an 8-section schedule would disproportionately strain large or consolidated campuses and that site size, staffing patterns and duty assignments make a single schedule impractical districtwide.

Representative voices: Cameron Estrella, general-music teacher at Riggs Elementary, urged adoption of the seven-section plan rather than the eight-section plan and warned that instruments and classroom centers would sit unused under a tight schedule. Monique Bovey Landy, general-music teacher at Fulton Elementary, described the seven-section model'which included transition time and collaborative planning'as rooted in best practice and said schools rely on special-area staff to run schoolwide events and assemblies. Laurel Miller, an experienced librarian, and a media specialist (represented by Katie Nash in a letter) described the heavy workload and said 8 sections would reduce instruction to 25 minutes and leave no time for necessary library operations.

Board response and next steps: Board President Serrano clarified the schedule matter will be presented in a public planning session on Friday, April 11; the April 9 meeting included only public comment and no board action. District staff acknowledged scheduling tradeoffs and said the seven-section pilot had been used at some sites (Riggs was named as a pilot site). Staff asked stakeholders to provide site-level feedback and participate in upcoming planning sessions.

Ending: Speakers urged the board to incorporate teacher and specialist feedback into any final scheduling decision; speakers said they support student learning and asked for a plan that protects transition time, collaborative planning and the wide range of special-area duties that support school culture and extracurricular events.","Teachers, media specialists and other staff used public comment at the April 9 board meeting to oppose a proposed eight-section elementary special-area schedule and urged the board to stick with or refine a seven-section pilot that preserves transition and planning time.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6608307,"Board approves consent agenda, annual financial audit and a $55,000 contract increase",0,8959000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939691-61be4955c3f2db63278edc12421a84c4&start=8959&end=8959","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939691-61be4955c3f2db63278edc12421a84c4/thumbnail_8959000.jpg","/articles/6608307/Arizona/Board-approves-consent-agenda-annual-financial-audit-and-a-55000-contract-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608307-568bd56af41f2418a14924af04f7eef7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197706&Signature=OVfTNCBtrbHo0WYxoA4G6eUZrn-bmN1biKbugC69fgCP0b25FMNYMM57LnJXgeIfLoKKiwYFXc4ouOG8N33KVDL2GH5z~huV3p2NWsdN9V0KWfw-hD7Jc0~gsJReUyp58kPmrTxjPxXqxuv8KB6LQU~Cf4o0-5nCERu6BJpftqwbGnh6XuqojYN8srZv3AWJUQ9RzQSi3rbhOFkuiAqXdz9KsG7VAt-ohJXHlwEa5~-zpx3gQKMHfk7OcgaV0maZAR7gdmKn79Hs1j~uCTH6GAQ21M9mgOOWvJPS~xWHWWD2aCHwojkFkHzMImoNITUQZAKvGA9Fq9IckS85cSH88A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Chandler Unified School District governing board on April 9 took three formal actions during its regular meeting: it approved the consent agenda; accepted the district's annual comprehensive financial report and single-audit reporting package for the year ending June 30, 2024; and approved a $55,000 increase to an existing warehouse-stock support-services contract, bringing the contract total to $505,000 for the fiscal year.

All votes were unanimous. The board took no additional action beyond approving the items as presented.

Details on each action:
- Consent agenda: The board voted to approve the published consent agenda, which included routine administrative and personnel items. The motion to approve was made and seconded on the record and carried by unanimous voice vote.
- Annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) and single-audit reporting package: The board approved Heinfeld, Meech & Co.'s audit of the district's financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2024, along with the single-audit reporting package required for federal grants. Auditor Joshua Schumper of Heinfeld Meach summarized an unmodified (\"clean\") audit opinion and reported there were no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in the district's financial reporting or federal compliance testing. The auditors and district finance staff noted six USFR compliance questionnaire findings (mostly attendance reporting and limited procurement documentation for a specified travel vendor), which district staff called routine, described corrective training steps and said they will continue to refine internal controls.
- Warehouse stock/support services contract increase: The board approved increasing a previously authorized warehouse-stock contract (originally estimated at $450,000) by $55,000 to cover increased use of supplies tied to expanded preventive maintenance work. District staff said this increase reflects higher usage now that the support services group is fully staffed, enabling more preventative maintenance and increased application of a pre-emergent product to grounds.

Board procedure and timing: Each item was presented by district staff and discussed briefly; staff confirmed that the warehouse contract increase is covered in the operating budget and does not require reserve transfers. No dissenting votes were recorded.

Provenance (where the motions appear in the meeting transcript): the consent-agenda motion and second appear in the record around the formal motion at 01:59:19; the ACFR motion appears in the record at 02:21:27; and the warehouse contract increase motion is on the record at 02:23:30. The board's clerk recorded unanimous approval for each motion.","At its April 9 meeting the Chandler Unified School District governing board approved the consent agenda, accepted the annual comprehensive financial report and single-audit package for fiscal 2023-24, and approved a $55,000 increase to a warehouse-stock contract to support expanded preventive maintenance. All three motions passed unanimously.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6608312,"CUSD outlines network upgrades, classroom hardware rollout, cybersecurity work and AI guidance in technology briefing",3009,4178000,7187000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939691-61be4955c3f2db63278edc12421a84c4&start=4178&end=7187","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939691-61be4955c3f2db63278edc12421a84c4/thumbnail_4178000.jpg","/articles/6608312/Arizona/CUSD-outlines-network-upgrades-classroom-hardware-rollout-cybersecurity-work-and-AI-guidance-in-technology-briefing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608312-dda8649ccb9db4d8207e37f590401d4d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197706&Signature=nv6tH7TuAYlm1-~TsMDS2NjIdTYhDq7RcTbe8DAFjeLxOKedASONqXYWZdmWjiJvg3~LQS0B8mAVQ41jLYdwDMN0yCvrEZyMXsm1dTQqg33V1i4MlO1er0MsigAEFox7d~UxXO~c2Ai6u1JW7Cq2X9Z9w760lnhJPZH-veqqZbeZIUhwCm3orf0PXQ6Nb~f4MxRTimT53x7SXz3Yf6KgrKnwwmN74hXK9h1k6vO0eDZ6JXzvosg43ojDf8dcJkDlfHYPfcVBqYhZc14aNDhll71k8a4Lqs16c0WsL71I2Xi4q-8NH9UFAZ8u2Nh2fDtX1DKlJvXNlCyxBy3nkvk3EA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chandler Unified School District technology leaders gave a study-session briefing on April 9 describing recent infrastructure upgrades, a near-complete classroom interactive-panel rollout, cybersecurity investments, and the district's early approach to artificial intelligence in schools.

Front line takeaways: Technology leaders said the district now supports a 1-to-1 device environment, has significantly upgraded network capacity and wireless access points across buildings, and is investing in cyber defenses and data-governance tools. Staff emphasized that the work is ongoing and that recruiting technical talent and securing sustainable capital funding remain operational constraints.

Key upgrades and scale: Colleen Flannery, director of technology, said CUSD moved from a supporting role during instruction to being central to daily learning after the pandemic. Specific infrastructure and scale figures cited: roughly 43,000 student devices in a 1:1 fleet; about 3,000 campus wireless access points; roughly 850 network switches across 50 buildings; and a district internet pipe scaled to 10 gigabit capacity into the district office (staff said roughly 7 of that is presently used and that Cox Communications was the transport partner). Staff noted they have provisioned more bandwidth than currently paid for in order to 'future-proof' growth.

Classroom hardware and learning environment: The technology team is installing interactive flat panels (IFPs) in classrooms to replace aging projectors; staff said the IFP rollout is nearing completion and that boards were selected with teacher input. Each panel includes a seven-year warranty. The project also includes teacher laptop docking stations and an initiative to 'untether' teachers from static desktops so teachers can move in flexible-room layouts.

Devices by grade band: Staff described a device strategy by grade band: K'2 students use iPads with detachable keyboards, grades 3'8 are issued Chromebooks, and high school students receive Windows laptops (with richer application support for advanced CTE coursework). Instructional technology staff said this mix reflects instructional needs and assessment requirements at each grade band.

Cybersecurity and data governance: Technology leaders said they have moved beyond basic protections and implemented a layered cybersecurity program. Tools and practices described include a district data-governance team, a disaster-recovery plan, a phishing-awareness platform (Infosec) that runs quarterly tests, and an endpoint visibility tool (Tanium). The district participates in a state cyber readiness grant that provided tools and fostered collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and other local government CTOs; staff also cited a recent joint cybersecurity conference for K'12 technology leaders.

Application vetting, privacy and vendor management: The district outlined an application-vetting process that includes instructional, information-security and procurement review; partnerships with review platforms (OneEdTech trusted apps) and the Student Data Privacy Consortium; and a monitoring service (Digital Insight) that tracks vendor-policy changes and application usage.

AI guidance and teacher supports: Technology and instructional leaders said they released broad AI guidelines about a year and a half ago and are training staff to use vendor tools with stronger data protections (for example Google'affiliated Gemini and Microsoft Copilot under existing contracts). Training includes an AI course provided during a staff development day; district teams are developing K'12 AI literacy progressions and a separate AI advisory composed of teachers.

Other projects: Staff summarized managed print improvements (centralized toner management and a district-wide HP managed-print contract), an asset-inventory and ticketing system (Incident IQ) used by field technicians, and the launch of an internship program with CTE to attract future IT talent.

Operational challenges and next steps: Leaders said attracting and retaining skilled IT staff is an ongoing challenge; they plan internships, a leadership academy, and internal development tracks to grow staff capacity. They also highlighted sustainability concerns: one-time pandemic-era capital outlays increased device fleet and network needs, but ongoing capital funding has not kept pace and future growth, including AI-related needs, will require stable funding.

Ending: Board members asked about classroom adoption rates for new panels, training materials and warranty length; staff said vendor teacher academies, on-site power users, and staged professional development are in place and confirmed the panels carry seven-year warranties. No board action was requested during the study session.","District technology leaders told the board they have upgraded core network capacity and wireless infrastructure, are near completion of an interactive flat-panel rollout, deployed new cybersecurity tooling and training, and are developing district AI guidelines and teacher supports. Leaders also listed ongoing challenges: recruiting IT staff and","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

CUSD leaders outline expansion plan for preschool and pre-K but warn funding gaps will limit growth

Teachers and media specialists urge board to reject proposed 8-period elementary special schedule, endorse 7-period pilot

Board approves consent agenda, annual financial audit and a $55,000 contract increase

CUSD outlines network upgrades, classroom hardware rollout, cybersecurity work and AI guidance in technology briefing