[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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],{"_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",6500147,"mediaKeyId","5692089-37c02b9440fae42483056082f6dec070","parentId",5692089,"title","Apache Junction board hears large growth in AP participation; approves Imprints of Honor partnership","audioSeconds",373,"startMs",3069000,"endMs",3442000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5692089-37c02b9440fae42483056082f6dec070&start=3069&end=3442","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5692089-37c02b9440fae42483056082f6dec070/thumbnail_3069000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6500147/Arizona/Apache-Junction-board-hears-large-growth-in-AP-participation-approves-Imprints-of-Honor-partnership","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500147-b29f6d8563c19fb4f66c6523c96fc8d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775023528&Signature=PEDkp8iSsphink3rDty0jWL2SEBFztGxUE5ZSSKhVJ2ePoqxgtU6ueGO2kU0LupTEz1f~M8pN-y0RxqJSmswDnE4PeP3Vwovy5nqK037ml93WZJo~Ocq7HFS5BJEO91aG1d5jMD9isU17kPzr~XP1asYMKO559KFLHyBrXuxWJJo0aPgtDgThmZF1WKEJNpDioG8P2-pOc89mYS6dWtLZm~fCQ3nSnKFEEaHrFa2uwHVKFr9nD6capmTyjHWfuJ0~wtMXDTU3FiIfyzeRsxrTiTzIW-CjmVnONbQ~E6qYPehKGKEKbJa9jgajiQOKJRjpdvJFNwWv81VjEuxtOREWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Apache Junction Unified District ","date","2025-08-27T02:52:59.937Z","article","Apache Junction Unified District staff told the governing board on Aug. 26 that participation in Advanced Placement courses and AP exams at the high school has grown sharply over the last two reporting years.

The presenter said 8 students took AP exams in the period identified as “02/2024,” rising to about 75–80 students in the period identified as “02/2025.” The total number of exams administered rose from about 10 to 101 in the same span, and the number of students scoring a 3 or higher on AP exams rose from four to 27, reducing the percentage of 3+ scores from roughly 50% to about 36% as participation increased. The presenter also told the board that 246 student enrollments are recorded across current AP classes, with the caveat that some students may be counted in more than one course.

The presenter described AP as a chance for students to earn potential college credit and credited teachers for training and recruiting students into higher‑rigor coursework. Board members had no substantive questions during the presentation.

On a separate but related agenda item, the board voted to approve a memorandum of understanding and volunteer waiver with Imprints of Honor, a program that records veterans’ oral histories and publishes them. According to the materials presented, the high school’s Imprints of Honor chapter plans to conduct five veteran interviews this year; students will interview, write, design and publish the stories.

The board passed the Imprints of Honor memorandum by voice vote; the meeting record shows the motion passed with a 5‑0 recorded outcome. The motion was seconded and received affirmative votes from board members who spoke on the record.

Other policy‑and‑procedure revisions were presented for approval during the meeting (policy 1‑302; policy 1‑401 and procedure 1‑401a; policy 5‑401; policy 5‑402; and a procedure labeled 4‑3‑2). Those items were introduced, seconded and discussed; the meeting transcript records board members saying “yes” in support of the motions, but a line‑by‑line final tally for each policy item was not explicitly recorded in the available transcript excerpt.

Votes at a glance

- Imprints of Honor memorandum and volunteer waiver with the high school — Motion seconded; recorded outcome: approved (yes: 5; no: 0; abstain: 0).
- Policy revisions (policy 1‑302; policy 1‑401 and procedure 1‑401a; policy 5‑401; policy 5‑402) and procedure 4‑3‑2 — Motions were made and seconded; affirmative votes were voiced by board members during the meeting. Final tallies for each policy item were not explicitly recorded in the available transcript excerpt.

The board did not debate further funding or curricular changes to AP courses at the Aug. 26 meeting; staff said they would continue to expand access and credited trained teachers for the increased participation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Governing board meeting - 08/26/2025","oneSentenceSummary","District staff reported substantial increases in advanced‑placement course enrollment and AP exams compared with two earlier reporting years; the board approved an Imprints of Honor memorandum with the high school to record veterans’ stories.","taxTitle","Apache Junction Unified District (4443), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",60911,"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},6500151,"Parent tells Apache Junction board STARS special-education class lacks staff; district pledges follow-up",151,2908000,3059000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5692089-37c02b9440fae42483056082f6dec070&start=2908&end=3059","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5692089-37c02b9440fae42483056082f6dec070/thumbnail_2908000.jpg","/articles/6500151/Arizona/Parent-tells-Apache-Junction-board-STARS-special-education-class-lacks-staff-district-pledges-follow-up","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500151-2d1514861810339ce922c446dea3c6cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1775023528&Signature=JXVds81W75W-lJ9vCu81QM0ZtUkK6aOr7EdCfe7K4MIVkjESB44gUcmiOujatIogLpsOKRX54xgDn5zUw~CG1Pxibs4H-kEFqWuz~pSl58SOE1PCQhxjyJs1bAlPdksi7MI9no4cyt2gNlXQC20rxzj7ak~yJ3c7rVXpU05lSPvq2TOrZykZNT833srqCxbCJinZvqwDtGLhO7ylwBmXtrUjHLZVIKh~TFjBYYEwr-yoNkMU4ZdqTKRA37QxxKuDXiynmXdgfYuTrer3JWmlq8X0BXI9lm6-qBRQY7RPpCzIQJXBZ3yQInVgZmX-LzWC6c0~tTn7g9MiyT62r4BfFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A parent told the Apache Junction Unified District governing board on Aug. 26 that staffing shortages and classroom instability in the district’s STARS special-education program are undermining students’ progress.

Tara Gardner, introducing herself as the grandmother of a student in the STARS program, said her grandson started in the district program in November 2024 and “is not getting the same 1‑to‑1 time that he got last year” because of larger class sizes and staff turnover. Gardner said the child, Dylan, had made marked academic gains the previous year but now faces “behavior issues [that] seem so dominant.”

Gardner said she has met with STARS teacher Deborah O’Connor and other staff and remains concerned that the program now treats “students … instead of individuals with individual needs, individual strengths, and individual weaknesses.” She asked the board to investigate and urged restoration of the supports that had produced improved grades for her grandson.

The board did not take formal action during public comment. A district representative speaking immediately after Gardner said the special-education leadership team would follow up. The board’s response at the meeting was limited to that pledge of follow-up; no timeline or specific next steps were announced on the record.

The public‑comment period at the meeting included a brief reminder from the board about the three‑minute speaker limit and Arizona’s open‑meeting rules.

The concern raised by Gardner came during the meeting’s public‑comment segment. The board’s staff acknowledged receipt of the concerns and said the district’s special‑education leadership team would investigate and report back to the family.

The board did not vote on any changes to the STARS program at the Aug. 26 meeting.","A parent said the STARS special-education classroom has lost staff and individualized supports that helped her autistic grandson make academic gains; the district said the special-education leadership team will follow up.","actionData","errors"]

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Apache Junction board hears large growth in AP participation; approves Imprints of Honor partnership

Parent tells Apache Junction board STARS special-education class lacks staff; district pledges follow-up