[{"_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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6646065,"mediaKeyId","3417817-b275c0c628db19a0395a85d18a77ceda","parentId",3417817,"title","Dysart board hears results from Spalding phonics pilot; staff intends to continue pilot at Countryside","audioSeconds",1485,"startMs",1335000,"endMs",2820000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3417817-b275c0c628db19a0395a85d18a77ceda&start=1335&end=2820","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3417817-b275c0c628db19a0395a85d18a77ceda/thumbnail_1335000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6646065/Arizona/Dysart-board-hears-results-from-Spalding-phonics-pilot-staff-intends-to-continue-pilot-at-Countryside","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646065-dcc7aa8cab0b60deb6d96daf7dc1a0b7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770650181&Signature=YfYuS1iL-VwbARwt4SjvdnBWf-P4Wb6ZI0~fmn4Hh8Xv1jAt~NP7KEtcdb~BaT1fUa4ueWyy63fLUkROd5~YaS~~0Y8sUHCRoPu~t63EeiDdWJzcHacwl0Oe3aD3PxVE8iSwr8zjCT5TjtZLp23Nkeny8M8pivf6NNydQZ8b8BdAeVPQoICVmeWg~NqB0-OHlQSm1DcibWul1wORSzR1VugPPspJf7K~oPiit00l11oMOBelLiQLQglwZxxu0YgZsYXgPMeTtaIoXKr9A8POVA1XicTMklLAsFfRObDMeDzv230Rd0Y6PnjIUwbN~OfLBb8pM4hOSfCNPHXzWuQScw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-21T07:36:56.8Z","article","District staff briefed the Dysart Unified School District governing board on results from a Spalding phonics pilot at Countryside Elementary, presenting DIBELS beginning/mid/end‑of‑year benchmark data for kindergarten and first grade and options for next steps.

Erin Morris, coordinator for research and achievement, said the district used DIBELS composites to compare Countryside (the Spalding pilot site) with Freedom Traditional (an established Spalding campus) and a group of non‑Spalding schools. “In looking at the end of year percent of students at or above benchmark, we can see that last year Countryside had 39% of their students at or above benchmark compared to this year where 53% of students are finishing at or above benchmark,” Morris said.

The presentation showed Freedom averaged roughly 90% of K–1 students finishing the year at or above benchmark, while the aggregated non‑Spalding schools averaged about 61%. Morris and district staff also disaggregated outcomes by grade: Countryside kindergarten end‑of‑year rates rose from 48% to 69% between the first and second years of implementation, while first‑grade end‑of‑year rates moved from 32% to 37% across the same period.

Board members asked several clarifying questions about comparability and fidelity. A staff presenter said Freedom is a traditional, choice school with different entry patterns and supports — including uniforms, a more consistent classroom structure and a higher percentage of students who begin the year already reading — and cautioned that those differences limit direct comparability. “Freedom being a traditional school, has a different structure to it… they do come in at a higher rate of reading for the beginning of the year,” the presenter said.

District staff described two main limitations: Freedom’s distinct model and differences in day‑to‑day practices across campuses (for example, the presence of long‑term substitutes). They also explained Spalding implementation requires two summers of teacher training and ongoing monitoring for fidelity; staff noted substitutes who lack Spalding training can affect classroom results.

On next steps, the district offered options: continue the Countryside pilot with ongoing training; expand the pilot to additional schools (estimated at about $7,600 per added grade level); or convene a committee to study district‑wide feasibility. Staff estimated Spalding training costs at about $800 per teacher and roughly 40 hours of training per teacher in a rollout model.

Board members who requested more rigorous comparisons asked staff to return with results benchmarked against a single, demographically similar non‑Spalding school rather than the aggregated set of non‑Spalding campuses. Member Drake, who requested the pilot originally, said teacher and staff feedback would be important; staff agreed to develop a teacher survey.

Doctor Crodo (Superintendent) summarized staff intent: “We intend to continue that pilot at Countryside and continue the training and the experience and teachers getting better at implementing it,” he said. Staff also committed to reporting back with results from a like school and to provide additional analyses at a future curriculum study session.

Questions and requests from the board included more detailed matched comparisons, an explicit teacher survey about implementation and additional reporting on fidelity and intervention availability.

The discussion was informational; there was no binding board vote on expansion. The board directed staff to continue the pilot at Countryside and return with comparative results and teacher feedback for future consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Dysart Governing Board Meeting - May 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","District staff briefed the Dysart Unified School District governing board on results from a Spalding phonics pilot at Countryside Elementary, presenting DIBELS and benchmark data and proposing next steps.","taxTitle","Dysart Unified District (4243), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",13624,"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},6646060,"Dysart board reviews where cursive is taught; district says cursive is mapped in grades 2–3 but not enforced after third grade",446,2842000,3288000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3417817-b275c0c628db19a0395a85d18a77ceda&start=2842&end=3288","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3417817-b275c0c628db19a0395a85d18a77ceda/thumbnail_2842000.jpg","/articles/6646060/Arizona/Dysart-board-reviews-where-cursive-is-taught-district-says-cursive-is-mapped-in-grades-23-but-not-enforced-after-third-grade","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646060-953e6019e18f54539c7dc89dbf470cd2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770650181&Signature=kMu4xUg4rywOQpKrFfJpHMZAH~50E8C1OTgv1HGbV-16hUT-YE0ppqDlUrhrS-ojLJ7NCUtIL~F2Nr42MIdrONpjSSOmYnUMGLHoaZBq8Nvj1YEU57V~eMjITc1KLQ7fAZmEr85v-09SvKfXGmVOIS65dCybjSZzFAsjVABHNJhkTwhKZ~4idlChPH0m1R84FVIATVpSBrriCyfyoY3GMjnkg8ALsvqoFB~b~M3c63oDhYMy3j8kjcSzCUGHfWY8ELbujlyCDNCbEwdZ30Gc9EFe9AQlIlgfR-JKhEufOABtiv3hq5eP7CAtG3f319QfjFS-nuA044Todm46rKNtfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District curriculum staff reviewed the Dysart Unified School District’s current approach to handwriting and cursive instruction during a board information item, showing where cursive appears in local pacing guides and in state essential standards.

The presenter said the Arizona ELA third‑grade standards include 49 state standards, 15 of which the state identifies as “essential” for mastery. Writing appears under a handwriting standard (described in materials as “Demonstrate and apply handwriting skills”), with the state language noted as “read and write cursive letters, uppercase and lowercase” and “transcribe ideas legibly in cursive.” The district’s HMH pacing guide maps explicit handwriting instruction (letter formation practice, modeling and line‑paper practice), and staff showed examples of student work and classroom notes written in cursive.

When board members questioned timing and continuity, staff clarified Dysart begins explicit cursive instruction in second grade and reloops the instruction in third grade because the state defines it as a third‑grade standard. “We start in second grade and then we reloop in third grade,” the presenter said, and added that the district does not currently require students to continue producing work in cursive beyond those grades.

A board member referenced a State Board of Education item stating Arizona standards require cursive through fifth grade; staff replied Dysart has not mapped cursive through fifth grade but said they could add it if the board wished. Staff also noted practical constraints: teachers must cover a broad set of essential standards and may prioritize tested standards and foundational literacy goals when time is limited.

Board discussion touched on instructional practice and cognitive benefits: one board member urged broader incorporation of handwriting across grades for motor and cognitive advantages and asked the district to explore mapping cursive further into the K–8 sequence.

Staff offered to return with options for incorporating cursive beyond third grade and acknowledged that curricular mapping changes would require alignment with existing ELA priorities and teacher capacity.

This was an informational presentation; no formal vote was taken.","District curriculum staff reviewed where cursive handwriting is taught in Dysart Unified School District pacing guides and how it aligns with state essential standards.",{"_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},6646050,"Votes at a glance: Dysart board approves personnel appointments, MOU, travel and superintendent pay",79,7638000,7717000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3417817-b275c0c628db19a0395a85d18a77ceda&start=7638&end=7717","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3417817-b275c0c628db19a0395a85d18a77ceda/thumbnail_7638000.jpg","/articles/6646050/Arizona/Votes-at-a-glance-Dysart-board-approves-personnel-appointments-MOU-travel-and-superintendent-pay","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646050-9748faa8361b17b4969e3174c05f5b9f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770650181&Signature=W710xzU5dkInBOICoUMx2aI-c6ZP0EWSh~qo9m-r6FxcbWvcgL38J8~ZVGji1bMlbvhBsEo6qa4YCpFXSEmf3WDrSTwoPVF2LPfZH33In-~jp7w2Cu29S5O~VUZZODR3usWK5qkKia21Dft4eoiGQX4-LpWivsbO3dUR4iIFb8rv8wCvdcy7RrxqUB8x2GdpVn-9kCqvZTtWrUlOEZKm5cAPFGnw9ui~mOOiAWYYOpyFwErFPJMD7tHh-dsPRLWUxvxfvaWiM83Jn9UjKUK5es92mh0XboHFStooTjY47MEJpzDDllnd6gvgbO5wxXdKiOpcqHfRbm72HtTKmyMmPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Dysart Unified School District governing board conducted several formal actions during the meeting. The items below list each motion as recorded in the public meeting transcript and the outcome recorded by the board.

Votes at a glance

1) Consent agenda (Item D1; exception E4): Motion to approve the consent agenda as presented with the exception of Item E4 (overnight and out‑of‑state travel line item for Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Las Vegas). Motion carried.

2) Administrative appointments (Action G1): The board approved five administrative appointments recommended by district leadership:
- Ginger Richards — appointed as high school principal, Valley Vista High School. (Motion: “I move to approve the appointment of Ginger Richards as high school principal for 20 five‑twenty 6 school year.” Motion carries.)
- Doctor Michael Fowler — appointed as interim elementary principal, Cimarron Springs. (Motion carries.)
- Erin Killian — appointed as elementary assistant principal, Ashanti Preparatory Academy. (Motion carries.)
- Tammy Tracy — appointed as elementary assistant principal, Kingswood Elementary. (Motion carries.)
- Amy Lundberg — appointed as elementary assistant principal, Freedom Traditional School. (Motion carries.)

3) Memorandum of Understanding (Action G6): Motion to approve the Memorandum of Understanding with the Dysart Education Association for the 2025–26 school year as presented. Motion carried.

4) Overnight and out‑of‑state travel (Action G7): Motion to approve the overnight and out‑of‑state travel requests as listed, including Hewlett Packard Enterprise conference attendance in Las Vegas for district network staff. Motion carried.

5) Superintendent year‑end evaluation and performance pay (Action J1): Motion to approve the superintendent’s year‑end performance evaluation and performance pay in the amount of 18%, reflecting satisfactory achievement of approved goals for the 2024–25 school year. Motion carried.

Notes on votes and tallies

- The audio transcript records motions, seconding and the phrase “Motion carries” for each item but does not provide a roll‑call tally for every vote in the public transcript. When individual verbal yes votes were audible, they were recorded but a full roll call with each board member’s named vote was not captured in the provided transcript excerpt.
- Salary schedules and other attachments referenced in the MOU were presented separately and were approved by the board in prior or concurrent actions as noted in the meeting.

Provenance and where key motion language appears in the transcript are listed below for reference.","The board approved multiple personnel appointments, the annual teachers’ MOU, travel authorizations and the superintendent's year‑end evaluation and pay award.",{"_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":56,"_74":56},6646055,"Superintendent reports strong progress on district goals; board to review full data in executive session",735,3305000,4040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3417817-b275c0c628db19a0395a85d18a77ceda&start=3305&end=4040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3417817-b275c0c628db19a0395a85d18a77ceda/thumbnail_3305000.jpg","/articles/6646055/Arizona/Superintendent-reports-strong-progress-on-district-goals-board-to-review-full-data-in-executive-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646055-f923ad803a4566c9e6cd316839c98cf8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770650181&Signature=M5j2G5l2DekVrlsIB51iIc8INWrpx5ApomO71mq1MLsq-SCEQ4YFOId-qj5MhaTO92-JCOc7ILqLylD61RJaDSuD0Zb9t44WaNIuGnzsJgkLkPrTeuizoJMHzoIgR05XPyVt-owG7MB0qvmVu32HDzRE7db7QrPkBDCiAPfmuvvd-DLlKRj4KPXrUgHDBqVa8EnCaFiE6rFiVhKOFv3166-k0BlOC5kqRtcnUrlvwVnl8572~TIBk23yLVVQnxnTUtlNC3Z~GLiV95AA2q8r7jXp2yFCpGE0K55zYgqkubtTj-0yk-oxpbdaFzKNK45Yok1qZjQtj8IZUY3msxS45Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Doctor Crodo presented the Dysart Unified School District’s end‑of‑year progress report to the governing board, summarizing district performance against the board’s goals for academics, culture and leadership, safety and resource management.

On academics, Crodo said elementary benchmark data indicate the district is on track to meet or exceed AASA state averages in language arts and math, and high school benchmark data suggest the district is on track to meet or exceed state averages in ACT English, reading and math. Staff also reported progress in supporting ESS (economically disadvantaged, special services) students and in college/career readiness measures, including growth in SEAL internships and CCRI points.

On recruitment and culture, the superintendent noted the district attended or hosted 15 recruiting events, reported increases in application activity (interviews up 51.9%, walk‑ins up 152%, and ‘‘candidates recommended to hire’’ up 39.4%), and highlighted expansion of the district’s teacher preparation program. Crodo said the district has focused on the Dysart Cares customer service plan and expanded administrator training tied to that initiative.

On safety, staff said eight campuses completed comprehensive safety audits with two more scheduled before the end of the school year; the safety team conducted 527 random safety checks, averaging about 17 sites per week, and non‑compliant items identified in audits were addressed within 30 school days. The district reported ongoing drill verification, after‑action reviews and regular cabinet updates on safety enhancements.

On resources and finance, Crodo said site and district budgets are publicly available and that the district received an unqualified external audit opinion. Staff reported timely budget and mandated state/federal reporting and a completed five‑year capital projection.

Board members thanked the superintendent and staff for recruitment and retention results. The board was given supporting documents for review in an upcoming executive session; Crodo said a curriculum study session is expected in July or August to continue alignment on district goals.

This presentation was informational; the board held an executive session later in the meeting for detailed review of data and personnel matters.","Superintendent presented end‑of‑year progress on district goals covering academics, culture/leadership, safety and resources. Staff reported positive recruitment and retention metrics, safety audits and an unqualified external audit. The board received the report and scheduled further review in executive session and a June study session.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Dysart board hears results from Spalding phonics pilot; staff intends to continue pilot at Countryside

Dysart board reviews where cursive is taught; district says cursive is mapped in grades 2–3 but not enforced after third grade

Votes at a glance: Dysart board approves personnel appointments, MOU, travel and superintendent pay

Superintendent reports strong progress on district goals; board to review full data in executive session