[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",5973290,"mediaKeyId","5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948","parentId",5829979,"title","Mesa board hears presentation on state instructional-minute rules, ADE recommendations and schedule trade-offs","audioSeconds",276,"startMs",410000,"endMs",686000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948&start=410&end=686","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948/thumbnail_410000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5973290/Arizona/Mesa-board-hears-presentation-on-state-instructional-minute-rules-ADE-recommendations-and-schedule-trade-offs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973290-aa71e476a5a68eb6677457c1721c7afa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770618821&Signature=BIeTamoil-wLpQdE1ydZtkGMpecgrUpSKPi9O9YfsV374xLRq4fkU83G1kqXaxM~eHroFvV7qkMLqiws7lo8cLNfwpXCrjOLkQ0DhLQE4nhNIXERJNkD1bQy60Q1AFN4qu45WTGSB1uZBxdHpQPkfqzs7i4-nN9VS9TsY1Koc1KbRozDoXr38eZMDhECi7oheW5SAvp~AObcFM2pZ86FwgV5pBRKoCeqC8o3Odt1f-LBz99hAms3o1FGBh2F3IzrHQTJCNEzDAOphX8Au-bMHs1JyRZoga-lsVaTgQurUtPuMB2WSesFMiiytgfMMcOHlaFl6JXq9uXpbHmZc3SpAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mesa Unified District (4235)","date","2025-09-26T05:12:20.15Z","article","Dr. Islas told the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board on Sept. 23 that district staff were presenting information on instructional time to clarify what state law requires and what the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) recommends for classroom minutes. \"We are here this evening to share some information with you around instructional time,\" she said.

The presentation laid out the rule framework staff said governs scheduling: (1) state statutes enacted by the Legislature and signed by the governor; (2) administrative rules adopted as Arizona Administrative Code; and (3) ADE guidance and recommendations that districts commonly use to set daily schedules. Staff emphasized the distinction between statutory requirements and ADE recommendations.

Why it matters: ADE recommendations for daily minutes across subjects add up, staff warned, to more instruction than current elementary and secondary school days typically allow. Eric Von Berg, one of the presenters, cautioned that the ADE guidance is largely advisory and that the legal baseline remains state statute and the administrative code. \"When we are talking about instructional time here, we've been talking about it from the legal standpoint,\" Von Berg said, noting that classroom disruptions and behavioral issues affect the quality of minutes but do not change statutory hour calculations.

Key points from the presentation included: state law requires a minimum school year (commonly 180 days) and minimum yearly instructional hours by grade band; kindergarten is calculated at 356 annual hours because it is commonly funded as half-day by the state; ADE defines K–3 reading instruction as 90 minutes per day; English-learner supports are specified (staff said pull-out models commonly provide about 60 minutes a day in K–5, 50 minutes for grades 6–12, while dual-language immersion models have different daily/weekly requirements); Individualized Education Program (IEP) minutes for students with disabilities are legally binding and variable by student; and Arizona statute requires two recess periods in K–5 but does not set recess lengths.

Staff also showed an example calculation: following ADE recommendations for all recommended content areas would require more than the district’s standard elementary instructional day. \"We have a 6½-hour day in elementary school, and it would take 7.2 hours each day of instruction\" to fit the ADE recommendations, the presentation noted — a figure that excludes lunch and recess and, if combined with those, would push the day beyond eight hours.

Board members asked how that tension would affect specials and high school scheduling. Member Hutchinson asked whether the district’s special-areas committee is preparing for major changes to specials to meet instructional-minute expectations and whether the district might lengthen the school day to provide longer lunches and protect specials time. Superintendent Strom and staff said the district has an active special-areas design team working on staffing models and schedule options; staff said the team will make recommendations to the board and that the district will respect the committee’s advice.

Several board members pressed staff about classroom-level implications and monitoring. Von Berg and Mr. Estrada described a set of administrative checks: master-schedule registration reviews with principals, counselor coordination for scheduling English-learners and students with IEPs, AP of registration meetings, and a synergy/technology review that supports reporting to ADE. Staff said ADE sometimes audits districts after schedules are set and that districts may be required to repay funds if required minutes are not met.

The presentation and Q&A did not include any formal resolutions or motions. Staff said the briefing was intended to clarify statutory requirements versus ADE recommendations and to prepare the board for future discussions about schedule, staffing and master-schedule audits.

Ending: Staff identified follow-up work: the specials design team will continue its review and report back with staffing and schedule proposals; district instructional leaders will continue master-schedule audits and professional learning to support high-quality first instruction; and the board and staff will separate legally required time from advisory recommendations as they consider any schedule changes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Governing Board Study Session and Regular Board Meeting - September 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dr. Islas told the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board on Sept. 23 that district staff were presenting information on instructional time to clarify what state law requires and what the Arizona Department of Education recommends for classroom minutes.","taxTitle","Mesa Unified District (4235), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",13601,"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},5973275,"Board approves new AP and pilot courses after CCAP review; CCAP chair notes voting irregularity on gaming proposal",346,5768000,6114000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948&start=5768&end=6114","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948/thumbnail_5768000.jpg","/articles/5973275/Arizona/Board-approves-new-AP-and-pilot-courses-after-CCAP-review-CCAP-chair-notes-voting-irregularity-on-gaming-proposal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973275-077e74e777e0a7e3f36914400968f583/orig.mp4?Expires=1770618821&Signature=ZpBFS5ycrI3JdhUfxRejTn~ZFLIBXMVXElfin5CGBVCIk5P53R-KfeoU8OvsD~e~WYK63WoeMZVNVN9ojnxYx5BEHL3O8CVpTq0HkY-CAqHHDUzwjyknG7hkQAaQ0RHVmA-8wB08FsyBY-JIUi~S3lq46mQsM2YwKvJiI06nMiNe8in-E0y2UyXeioxnjvRXUJhHIsEiN3EL68t4JHxf6tkOkMNDcvwpO8Yr8XdOaIsWRsQtY~CZrory3n~-WmIyG5fUDIfbHkiXdspb0CVB9fAOo~lPt3VVpPOn9SmgYMv2xgFtXX5HhMvRCcoWmSsS~2JoUzYV1wv63OnKzkFatQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mesa Public Schools Governing Board approved several curriculum items on Sept. 23 after review and recommendation by the Community Curriculum Advisory Panel (CCAP).

What passed: By recorded votes the board approved (1) awarding a half-credit of government in addition to the existing half-credit of economics for an International Baccalaureate (IB) yearlong course so that IB students receive a full credit for the yearlong program; (2) an AP Business with Personal Finance course (available to grades 10–12); (3) an AP Cybersecurity course (grades 10–12, pilot availability dependent on teacher certification and enrollment); (4) a memorandum of understanding and curriculum document for Integrated Statistics and Quantitative Reasoning (ISQR) pilot work in collaboration with ADE; and (5) updated junior- and senior-high course catalogs.

CCAP process and a voting irregularity: Rachel Bostock, CCAP chair, reported the panel’s August meeting produced majority approvals for most items but that a double-counted/extra vote affected the gaming-concepts pilot outcome. She said a voting irregularity—an extra vote cast by a person who still believed they could vote after being replaced—produced a 7–6 result that would have been 6–6 had the extra vote been removed; because that vote removed the majority the gaming items were not forwarded to the board.

Board discussion: Board members asked about teacher certification, program costs, and equity of access to courses. Staff said AP and CTE courses require appropriate teacher credentials and that pilot courses would be available only at schools that select to run them and can staff them. The district indicated ADE and other partners would provide professional learning for pilot teachers and that the district would monitor enrollment and outcomes. For the IB credit change, staff said the change aligns the district’s course catalog with IB requirements and the district’s 4-year sequencing for IB students.

Follow-up: CCAP and district staff agreed to fix the panel voting record and to continue returning detailed syllabus- and unit-level materials for courses as they mature. Board members asked staff to make fuller unit and syllabus materials available to CCAP and the public so members and families can review the instructional resources tied to new courses.","The Mesa Public Schools Governing Board on Sept. 23 approved a set of new and pilot course items after CCAP review, including AP Business with Personal Finance, AP Cybersecurity and an Integrated Statistics pilot MOU; CCAP reported an extra vote that prevented a gaming pilot from advancing.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5973280,"Board approves second-phase personnel actions as district outlines multi‑phase redesign and projected savings",683,6464000,7147000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948&start=6464&end=7147","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948/thumbnail_6464000.jpg","/articles/5973280/Arizona/Board-approves-second-phase-personnel-actions-as-district-outlines-multiphase-redesign-and-projected-savings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973280-dbd799b003aad4f3769d600ebea52404/orig.mp4?Expires=1770618821&Signature=evgPQMRyW8d4KJEFPAzwWTPBWPG7-MW0TETSrk9Zb5jnH3DAZyDIqhhsZusfyzgNQCKB6WcgzkTd3UQOuZ8Y-zgRLuB9CJ49wO9Fgpno4~NOAUzem0Y7upF-uDyZzOFA5KR24XFXQfbDdM5Gad5j8D1gCrKZAvc6vjkoCFwRos4JKkOMTOmzkref3xY1lDVDTpygwOJlgDX~SffF-7ATgD02tvOE7f189Z~aevMpSRODWlPRsRs7BhEegJDe7A5-CqVuqrj6G7eVUHoggN33ExTvjLzF1ybcNTr-Rh9-K2P79J4DzdS1aAyfEUBFazZKwoTOC7l0rfTP2VJ~I~zBjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mesa Public Schools Governing Board approved a personnel request, including an addendum, related to a multi-phase organizational redesign intended to reduce central-office positions and lower district operating costs.

What the board approved: The motion to approve the personnel request and addendum passed by a vote of 5–0. Staff said this second implementation phase includes selected executive-director and director-level positions; additional phases and hiring recommendations will come to the board in October and December.

District rationale and timeline: Mr. Wing told the board the redesign started with a summer reorganization that reduced five assistant-superintendent roles into two chief positions and will continue through December. The district expects to reduce roughly 40 positions at the department level for the 2026–27 school year as the redesign completes. Superintendent Strom said the redesign was intended to be humane in timing, giving affected employees advance notice and time to consider options.

Budget implications: Administration said earlier cost estimates projected $3.5–$4.5 million in annual savings once the plan is fully implemented and after targeted investments in technology (information services) that would help the district operate with a smaller human-resources footprint. Staff said the first phase of reorganizing cabinet-level roles was effectively budget neutral; larger savings will accrue in subsequent phases. The administration said staffing and salary changes for 2026–27 will be brought back to the board, with formal hiring and job-title recommendations expected at the December meeting.

Board discussion: Members asked whether savings would be realized at the $3.5–$4.5 million level and how the redesign would preserve school-level services. Administration replied that the program is intended to localize support through regional “learning community” teams with executive directors responsible for regions; some new specialist positions will be 10– or 12-month roles and built into the regional support matrix. Member Hutchinson urged caution to avoid overburdening remaining staff. Administration replied it would inventory and eliminate nonessential tasks and emphasized a PDQ (position description questionnaire) process to clarify roles.

Action recorded: Approval of the personnel request, including addendum. The board accepted the administration’s plan to continue implementation and return final organizational and hiring recommendations in subsequent board meetings.","The board approved a personnel request that included positions tied to a district organizational redesign. Administration said the redesign will reduce district-level positions and is expected to save roughly $3.5–4.5 million when fully implemented, with more precise savings to be reported in December.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5973285,"Parent-led committee proposes alternative school calendar; district to survey community",191,4824000,5015000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948&start=4824&end=5015","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948/thumbnail_4824000.jpg","/articles/5973285/Arizona/Parent-led-committee-proposes-alternative-school-calendar-district-to-survey-community","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973285-5de9f3a92dd96e317ce137e1d6bfb48a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770618821&Signature=MegtMGYhc87Nl2jTfpsp9NGe93pYUdQ3aHxpFU-SZbVmm3WaZQukqaoEcXMMY7Gnc~6zJ3VIgR8me5GZ9V1xopixCSTqicP8vX8xeejSLzI8nYVTs-UFSg1COg9ce09nD7jlhyjMP2T2bXd-785qeBIXegD-C3JtOvf~-0QA1N0g-lM9bYD1EyjvRS2QzIV7Io5Brk4kYyzdTVPjF37hUe18xUmwQXRlCNm514oV55ByJMXmBG73k5MZANqO6cnS6cTmWgy9MmIoMF8xevm7ycadqnabM9POk2IqRlHIJnlnyMS4K81ZGToOvUVHvJIC984a8fOpm~spxBxaXE8ZaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Emily Allen and Samantha Hildreth, co-facilitators of the district’s alternative calendar design team, presented a recommended nontraditional calendar for the 2027–28 school year and described the committee’s process and conventions at the Sept. 23 board meeting.

Why it matters: The calendar design team proposed a later July start (July 28), one week of fall break, a full week for Thanksgiving, two weeks at winter break and two weeks at spring break, with a professional development day scheduled the Monday after Easter. The presenters said the design balances community preferences, statutory limits (including the state rule that winter break not exceed two consecutive school weeks) and surrounding-district schedules while attempting to reduce predictable absenteeism days.

The committee said it used an interest-based process and held six two-hour meetings with representatives including parents, teachers, principals, classified staff and district personnel. Members said they reviewed absenteeism data, schedules in neighboring districts, facility costs, holiday rules and athletic/extracurricular impacts before agreeing on conventions. The committee recommended not starting school on a Monday and ending the school year before Memorial Day.

Next steps: Staff said the district will use a revised community survey to present both the traditional and proposed calendars and gather public input; the team will also host community forums, include executive-director introductions and return recommendations to the superintendent for the board to consider in November or December. The board did not adopt a calendar; it authorized the committee and staff to proceed with public outreach and return with the community response.

Concerns and follow-up items raised by board members and speakers included potential impacts on AP and state testing schedules, hourly pay and pay-period effects for classified staff, whether two-week spring breaks would harm hourly employees’ pay, and how sports, competitions and testing windows would be scheduled. Staff said pay days and contract days would not change; how paychecks are distributed across pay periods could change and would require staff and union conversations if the calendar is approved.

Public comment included a parent who said speech-and-debate tournament fees prevented a campus from hosting a tournament and asked the district to remove facility fees for such events; staff said they would follow up and investigate. The presentation closed with staff planning for a districtwide survey and community forums before making any recommendation to the board.","A parent-facilitated design team presented a proposed alternative 2027–28 calendar featuring split breaks (one-week fall, full week of Thanksgiving, two-week winter and two-week spring breaks) and a later July start; the board agreed to proceed with a community survey and forums before recommending any change.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5973269,"District reports early enrollment decline driven by smaller kindergarten cohorts; board commissions follow-up research",200,10410000,10610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948&start=10410&end=10610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829979-1d7017dba2eedf9d586d90e5d76ca948/thumbnail_10410000.jpg","/articles/5973269/Arizona/District-reports-early-enrollment-decline-driven-by-smaller-kindergarten-cohorts-board-commissions-follow-up-research","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973269-4fdc27ddc18e68e5bc6cbd7dd3db0bca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770618821&Signature=o0jlEogaDbHH8D9WCpi3pvUAOHWCcO6hdtVh9cC0jaXcC47TogsbHj5EDSM1HpHmo3idAqD2dz66wk78l422IZBmiDgeC4H-w3BnQXS2tRcOmSJk1HcRlCx0ivt1bc3OO~rwtXnt6tlnoqLp6TxjSGv3tkWhrBZXkdLMwcnbTHYJwXbWggXRqh6RGlxWzOobYyM-pqL8zsMxyUf56wxr6SVx5wB2r2t1IE3hRe7v6GvVlYboxILko5JhacWZ5346QIyCOvvd1ZFSmCJ-IzqnOSZPGySvGpbnEVWEPbY2ft928ZTXWptdpq-TdbppTkEu-yb3gMVVl14c6ervM8hYFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Glassmeyer presented beginning-of-year enrollment trends to the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board on Sept. 23 and described cohort retention, day-15 counts and the district’s analytic approach.

Key data presented: Administration reported an October 1 projection of approximately 51,663 students for the year and a Day-15 headcount that showed notable decreases in kindergarten (about an 11.5 percent decline year over year, or roughly 404 students) and smaller cohorts across other early grades. Staff highlighted a cohort example: a group that numbered 4,411 on Oct. 1 several years ago was replaced this year by only 3,404 incoming kindergarten students — a shortfall of roughly 1,000 students in that comparison.

Retention measures: District staff showed cohort-retention metrics (students reenrolled from one year to the next) and noted that full-academic-year (FAY) attendance correlates with stronger outcomes. Dr. Glassmeyer explained that preschool-to-kindergarten transitions are harder to measure because children may take more than one year in preschool; preschool retention figures are therefore an estimate rather than a direct denominator for incoming kindergarten counts.

Board direction and next steps: Board members and superintendent discussed research to understand where students who left the district went and why. Superintendent Strom said WestEd will be engaged to survey or contact families who have left (approximately 1,400–1,500 high‑school-aged students have left in the recent period, staff said) to identify reasons families chose other options. Board members also suggested researching reasons families stay and amplifying positive parent testimonials. Staff noted that cohort mobility, charter/ESA uptake and demographic shifts are among the factors that affect district enrollment.

No motions were taken. Staff provided the data background and said deeper analysis and follow-up research will be completed and reported back to the board.","Mesa Public Schools presented October-1 projections and day-15 enrollment data showing an estimated district decline to about 51,663 students, with notable drops in kindergarten compared with graduating 12th-grade cohorts; the district will convene WestEd to analyze why students are leaving and explore drivers of retention.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Mesa board hears presentation on state instructional-minute rules, ADE recommendations and schedule trade-offs

Board approves new AP and pilot courses after CCAP review; CCAP chair notes voting irregularity on gaming proposal

Board approves second-phase personnel actions as district outlines multi‑phase redesign and projected savings

Parent-led committee proposes alternative school calendar; district to survey community

District reports early enrollment decline driven by smaller kindergarten cohorts; board commissions follow-up research