[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6564092,"mediaKeyId","3293207-ffacd19d026099e2a690a8c061a65737","parentId",3293207,"title","Parents press board over oversized classes at Cerritos and raise bus-safety concerns","audioSeconds",1592,"startMs",6496000,"endMs",8088000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293207-ffacd19d026099e2a690a8c061a65737&start=6496&end=8088","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293207-ffacd19d026099e2a690a8c061a65737/thumbnail_6496000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6564092/Arizona/Parents-press-board-over-oversized-classes-at-Cerritos-and-raise-bus-safety-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564092-d9d762a96834d00193b7deb56867ac13/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166065&Signature=oS7t5xyivKvc-kBjk~59Kvhxznsd4l32zfBNNlyfbHyFPNIMDmpiyj7kjXjtuE4wJbkORRdgbNN69PkBeWzA2htMBbUUpRig0ck5cfVW1-OxylHSvnT~wRRyzwn1wgwxTDRX5MEVTt62GKDSdv~Khkidgao01K~Y3qQkl7IciL3~AZPrhwbLI8wSoAzJJc2Sb-165aLgbtqEB-KK0kHDMbxGFNfH4qitookfaudzaDJ3INTBUfZLvYkxuoeGiu5k1iZil6vuqwiqCuFKAym4bQ8yubUi4XxQlwxndG1gA-yWz0S~tojAvoU6g9m1xRoaEXfjRzHmBvKGhLw8~lFK4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-14T08:14:07.51Z","article","Nine in-person speakers addressed the governing board during the May 13 call-to-public, and several focused on class-size changes at Cerritos Elementary and concerns about transportation safety.

Cerritos parents: teacher cuts and class-size impacts
Multiple Cerritos parents and a student described multi-year experience with large classes and asked the board to reconsider a decision that will reduce teacher staffing in the coming year. Key points raised by speakers included:
- Loss of teachers: Parents said Cerritos will lose two teachers at the end of the year; speakers said that led to a projected fourth-grade class size of about 32 students per classroom if reductions stand.
- Local experience: Michelle Dixon, a Cerritos alumna and parent, described consecutive years of overcrowded classrooms at Cerritos (class sizes cited by speakers included kindergarten classes of 27–30 students and first-grade classes with 30 students). She said high class sizes had harmed teacher morale and contributed to families leaving the school.
- Student impact: Taylor Warner, a Cerritos parent and former teacher, said her son’s anxiety spiked during a year with a 30-student class and improved after his class size decreased the following year. “With a smaller class and a supportive teacher… he is thriving again,” Warner said.
- Hiring and LIFO policy questions: Several parents asked whether the district’s “last in, first out” (LIFO) approach to staffing was the only tool used to determine layoffs and urged the board to consider teacher performance, community needs, and principal recommendations. Caitlyn Logan said a Cerritos teacher of 25 years would depart under the staffing decision because of LIFO rules.
- Data and counts: Parents disputed some district statements about the number of teachers needed to resolve overages. One speaker corrected a district statement that 19 teachers would be required across the district; parents said addressing the specific overages at the school would require far fewer teachers (parents supplied an estimate of six teachers for certain third–fifth grade overages).

Student speaker
A third-grade student, Dutch Hultman, described his own experience in a large first-grade classroom and said the smaller current class has improved learning and behavior.

District response and limitations
Board President Kevin Walsh and district staff repeatedly noted that board policy and state statute limit discussion of non-agenda items during the public meeting but said district staff would follow up. Superintendent Laura Tenas and staff members present said they would coordinate with site administration and talent management when parents raise personnel concerns; the board encouraged parents to share documentation and follow up through district channels.

Transportation safety concerns raised
Alexis Tavaro, a parent and a former Kyrene transportation employee, described three incidents she said occurred in April: a bus driving on the wrong side of the road nearly causing a head-on collision; children seated in bus aisles because of combined routes; and a driver running a red light with children aboard. Tavaro said she had reported the events and that the department’s leadership did not notify the district or external authorities in some cases. She asked for transparency and for the district to investigate and respond. The board and superintendent said they would have staff follow up and asked Tavaro to provide contact information; district staff agreed to pursue the concerns through the appropriate channels.

What parents asked the board to do
Parents asked for:
- Reconsideration of teacher reductions at Cerritos and a district review of the LIFO staffing impacts.
- Clearer communication about how staffing decisions were made and whether other staffing metrics (teacher performance, principal input, community feedback) could be used.
- Faster, transparent follow-up on transportation safety reports and notification of parents when incidents affecting student safety occur.

Where this stands
The board did not take action on staffing or transportation during the meeting. Trustees said the district could follow up with families and that issues raised during public comment may prompt staff-level investigation or administrative review; the board emphasized it cannot discuss or decide on non-agenda personnel matters during the meeting itself.

Ending
Speakers were directed to provide documentation to district staff for follow-up. Several parents said they will continue to bring the topic to future meetings if they do not receive satisfactory responses.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5-13-2025 Kyrene Governing Board Study Session and Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple parents and students used the call-to-public to urge the board to reverse teacher reductions at Cerritos, saying past large classes harmed students’ mental health and prompted withdrawals; a parent also reported several alleged transportation safety incidents and asked for follow-up.","taxTitle","Kyrene Elementary District (4267), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",13625,"location","Arizona","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6564100,"Kyrene board adopts FY25 budget revision, approves 1% raises for staff and a $1,000 retention stipend",3376,4986000,8362000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293207-ffacd19d026099e2a690a8c061a65737&start=4986&end=8362","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293207-ffacd19d026099e2a690a8c061a65737/thumbnail_4986000.jpg","/articles/6564100/Arizona/Kyrene-board-adopts-FY25-budget-revision-approves-1-raises-for-staff-and-a-1000-retention-stipend","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564100-a778b7c0bfef9df5d5e192895fc73b7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166065&Signature=dcir9zzjNsZy5Qge4EherI8psZfURRz1WAIrVYEIneRqxbMLOPjzqcEtlRl3-Wq16y6ldIAInco0ZYLueA6L-aJ0PSF1LVQSlgtC-MxE82CJRuuGC-eq~tzpFEY2k7Tky1J-jo5Kt5yvxR~CnIsgHvpjClkBX7xCWFLfy6PlEcn4BQLsvb9Q4t84UtnRKLRDy2N5BWf51Bo7HL2WhrnjvJ9RBPCzxJwRxNwvd0FFcDN~ei52Ux2SOZLBzjhMTmfjEpB7cyIoMwpsFvYKuK4XZuLdhmFJK78LyTqNqLfPkHmUu8pOinXnHP251bOaRqJVSY7GPIMw5dqHBH9mjokGVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a May 13 regular meeting, the Kyrene Elementary District governing board adopted a final revised fiscal year 2025 budget at a public hearing and approved several personnel and procurement actions intended to stabilize staffing.

Budget revision adopted
Brian Loughrey, the district’s director of finance, presented the proposed final FY25 revised budget and said it represents “the maximum budget capacity allowed by law.” He told the board the net change from the adopted budget is approximately $5.8 million, driven by adjustments across the general budget limit, unrestricted capital (DAA) and federal projects. Specific points Loughrey highlighted included:
- General budget limit (maintenance & operations and transportation): net increase of about $2,500,000, with the base support level reduced by about $247,000 because of lower student counts and updated special-education weight estimates.
- District Additional Assistance (DAA): staff returned funds to the DAA capital account (rather than transferring them to maintenance and operations) because those dollars are expected to be needed for future capital work; that decision added about $1.7 million to the DAA balance.
- Carry-forward true-ups and other adjustments: final carry-forward and override true-ups increased capacity by about $3.8 million.
- Grants and federal awards: final allocations and carry-forward for federal grants, plus a new multiyear grant to fund 16 school counselors (about $2.6 million over FY25–26), raised federal and state grant budgets by about $5.0 million from adopted projections.

Loughrey cited Arizona Revised Statutes section 15-905 as the statutory requirement that boards adopt a final revised budget by May 15. After public notice and a hearing, the board voted to approve the FY25 budget revision (motion by Vice President Trina Nelson; second by Member Amy Satri). The motion passed unanimously, 5–0.

Procurement and audit items
- ADE procurement review: Loughrey reported that the Arizona Department of Education completed a procurement review of the district’s food services program for FY24 and issued no findings. The board approved acceptance of that report by roll-call vote, 5–0.
- Purchasing authorization (cooperative contract): The board approved use of a cooperative contract (SAVE contract 23-06 USD 1 awarded by Tucson Unified School District) to procure university instructors for special-education staffing. Assistant superintendent and labor negotiators explained the district uses contract providers in areas—particularly special education and transportation—where recruiting certified staff has been difficult. The motion to use the cooperative contract passed 5–0 (mover: Member Bunny Davis; second: Member Cedric Collins). KEA president Dahlia Leighton said the association is disappointed about reliance on contract staff but acknowledged the recruitment challenge.

Employee compensation and retention
The board approved a 1% salary-schedule lift for three employee groups for the 2025–26 school year: educational support professionals (ESP), certified teachers and administrators.
- ESP schedule lift cost: approximately $360,000; starting pay for an ESP on the A10 band would rise from $15.51 to roughly $15.67 per hour.
- Certified teachers schedule lift cost: approximately $716,616; the stated starting teacher salary would increase from $49,909.37 to about $50,436.50 (not including performance pay or other stipends).
- Administrative schedule lift cost: approximately $126,399.
- Total estimated cost to lift all schedules by 1%: roughly $1,200,000.

Board members and district leaders emphasized the 1% increase reflects current budget constraints. Assistant Superintendent Lisa Gibson and Chris Herman framed the 1% as the maximum sustainable ongoing increase based on FY26 budget assumptions; they said any additional state funding later this summer would prompt immediate bargaining/meet-and-confer discussions and could result in revised compensation actions before the school year begins.

Retention stipend
To address near-term staffing retention, the board approved a one-time retention stipend for FY26 paid in two installments:
- $1,000 total for full-time employees (two payments of $500, one in December and one in June).
- $500 total for employees working less than 0.5 full time equivalent (two payments of $250).
Talent management estimated the stipend cost at about $2,200,000, funded from underspending (vacancy savings) in FY25. The motion passed 5–0 (mover: Member Cedric Collins; second: Vice President Trina Nelson).

Board and union reaction
KEA president Dahlia Leighton said the association was disappointed that additional funding was limited but appreciated transparency and the district’s willingness to reconvene if the Legislature provides new funds. District staff and board members repeatedly underscored that any additional state funding would be reviewed with employee groups and could be routed to salary schedules (if ongoing) or stipends (if one-time).

Votes at a glance (selected actions taken May 13, 2025)
- FY25 final budget revision — approved 5–0 (motion: Vice President Trina Nelson; second: Member Amy Satri).
- ADE food-services procurement review (FY24) — accepted 5–0 (roll-call vote).
- Use of cooperative contract 23-06 (university instructors) — approved 5–0 (motion: Member Bunny Davis; second: Member Cedric Collins).
- 1% lift, ESP salary schedules — approved 5–0 (motion: Vice President Trina Nelson; second: Member Amy Satri).
- 1% lift, certified salary schedules — approved 5–0 (motion: Member Bunny Davis; second: Member Cedric Collins).
- 1% lift, administrative salary schedules — approved 5–0 (motion: Member Amy Satri; second: Member Trina Nelson).
- FY26 retention stipend (one-time) — approved 5–0 (motion: Member Cedric Collins; second: Vice President Trina Nelson).

What the board said about future steps
Board members asked staff to return quickly if the state provides new ongoing funds so the district and its employee associations can negotiate how to apply those funds. Chris Herman and Lisa Gibson said they would prepare information for any rapid reconvening of bargaining teams and for board consideration.

Ending
District leaders told the board the budget revision secures statutory budget capacity while staff continue to monitor enrollment, grant awards and state budget developments that could change funding available for staff compensation.","The governing board approved the district’s final FY25 revised budget, accepted an ADE procurement review with no findings, authorized use of a cooperative contract for university instructors, approved a 1% salary lift for ESP, certified and administrative staff, and approved a $1,000 retention stipend for full-time employees.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_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":56,"_74":56},6564106,"Kyrene presents progressive, data-driven approach to student discipline at study session",1525,656000,2181000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293207-ffacd19d026099e2a690a8c061a65737&start=656&end=2181","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293207-ffacd19d026099e2a690a8c061a65737/thumbnail_656000.jpg","/articles/6564106/Arizona/Kyrene-presents-progressive-data-driven-approach-to-student-discipline-at-study-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564106-3b757f5dc0ce6bb31fb2eb2feb2f50df/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166065&Signature=OL1MCLsgpBrNH7NDNpXEd-ywHwzJDBi~ixKhzqTka7ix6o5NxQPXQRNBQFoRY8DQ01CzHEkOm2AWVcTqQPEAuzYfiiG-IoEzujUaPM9qu389Cw38UcOE9U4sISmRWekOHJWzISBYXfHDG4XzbiFQ8MTZUzcjnlQZN9tAyoCbYGY~8Z0b~sfkqeEIKtU86Ry8FjnoJEWd5~r1cRLeowGFjz9rB1HRxNcvK643Qa4Sy8A8Km2bAur9IZtJipGciV9D40e0U30GwV5r2AncuwKqo7qbQ1Tp6GvAQxe32eH6FBOIJkWxhHy4up8ej8UQ7tTjt9Qs8U3K6rxfKg1AVnybqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a May 13 study session, Kyrene Elementary District staff presented the district’s approach to student discipline, describing a progressive, student-centered framework that combines board policy, statutory requirements and school-level professional judgment. Dr. Garth Kupp opened the presentation and said the purpose was “to provide an overview of Kyrene's approach to student discipline, what guides our practices, and how we ensure consistent practices across all of our schools.”

The presenters told the governing board the district uses governing board policy 5-306 and 5-306a and applicable state law as the legal baseline for responses such as suspension and due-process steps. Kupp said the framework is not the full picture, adding: “At our core, we are in the business of educating children between the ages of 5 and 13, and our first responsibility is to teach.”

Why it matters: the presentation framed discipline as part of instruction and student support, not only as punitive action. That framing affects when and how staff use in-school supports, alternatives to suspension and the district’s reporting and training priorities.

What the district told the board
- Policy and handbook: Kupp pointed trustees to the family handbook discipline matrix, which lists behavioral violations and a range of possible consequences organized by severity; the matrix is intended to make consequences “fair, predictable, and aligned with board policy and legal requirements” while preserving administrator discretion. He said school leaders weigh a student’s age, disciplinary history, intent and remorse when assigning consequences.
- Alternatives to removal: Staff emphasized alternatives that keep students connected to learning, including restorative practices, check-in/check-out systems, in-school interventions, a “Kyrene alternative to suspension program” and a long-term alternative to suspension program. Kupp said these options let students “take responsibility, repair harm, and stay connected to school.”
- School-level practice and PBIS: Alejandro Vasquez, assistant principal at Kyrene Delos Lagos and Kyrene Del Norte, described elementary-level practice. “We understand that behavior is a form of communication,” Vasquez said, and added that schools use PBIS (positive behavior intervention and supports) teams to build flowcharts that distinguish minor classroom-managed behaviors from major incidents referred to administration. Vasquez listed classroom-level responses (verbal warnings, reflection sheets, parent contact) and office processes (electronic referral forms entered into Synergy as ODRs) for major incidents.
- Middle-school process and due process: Jesse Gutierrez, assistant principal at Centennial Middle School, said staff take witness statements, interview all listed witnesses and triangulate evidence until there is a preponderance supporting a finding. “When it comes to discipline, the biggest thing to emphasize with students is ensuring you're honoring students' rights and due process,” Gutierrez said. He described team decisions for major incidents and reintegration strategies such as peer mediation or teacher-student supports.
- Data-driven prevention: Presenters showed how school PBIS teams use Synergy office-discipline-referral (ODR) data and Panorama survey results to identify trends by time, location, grade and subpopulation. Gutierrez described an “early warning system” that flags students as low/medium/high risk using attendance, grades and behavioral referrals so teams can target interventions (check-in/check-out, counselor referrals, MTSS review).

Board questioning and clarifications
Board members asked about how broad categories (for example, “defiant/disrespectful”) are calibrated at the school level. Vasquez and Gutierrez said teams norm definitions in PLCs and PBIS meetings and that administrators review context (location, intent, recurrence) and victim perception when distinguishing, for example, a minor aggressive act from an assault. Kupp and presenters agreed that due-process steps and family communication are built into the process; schools issue written responses to bullying complaints and involve school-effectiveness staff or talent management when appropriate.

Operational notes and limits
- Elementary suspensions: Presenters said suspension for K–4 students is used only in limited circumstances (serious safety concerns or persistent behaviors that don't respond to intervention) and that schools coordinate with mental-health staff when suspension is considered. They emphasized that when students are removed for a period, they retain access to grade-level curriculum through in-school interventions.
- Time per referral: Kupp indicated school leaders invest substantial time investigating ODRs; one presenter noted reviews of incidents and data analysis are routine work for site PBIS teams.

Where this goes next
Kupp told the board the district will continue staff training, calibrate the discipline matrix and expand alternatives to suspension. Trustees asked follow-up questions and requested opportunities to review policy-level questions about how criminal-law referrals intersect with discipline policy; Member Davis asked for a future discussion of the district’s overall disciplinary philosophy and its relationship to criminal law.

Ending
Presenters closed by stressing the work is ongoing: “the work that we do with student discipline is ongoing. It's not about arriving at a fixed system, but continually evolving and being able to better serve our student populations,” Kupp told the board.","District staff told the governing board that Kyrene uses a progressive, student-centered discipline framework guided by board policy and state law, anchored by school-level PBIS teams, data from Synergy and Panorama, and alternatives to suspension.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parents press board over oversized classes at Cerritos and raise bus-safety concerns

Kyrene board adopts FY25 budget revision, approves 1% raises for staff and a $1,000 retention stipend

Kyrene presents progressive, data-driven approach to student discipline at study session