Phoenix Elementary approves progress monitoring report after district says third‑grade reading target was met
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Summary
The Phoenix Elementary District governing board approved its progress monitoring report for Board Goal 1 (third‑grade reading) after presentations from district leaders showing the district hit its one‑year target. Board members discussed disparities between subgroups, intervention blocks and teacher retention as drivers of outcomes.
The Phoenix Elementary District Governing Board on June 24 approved the district's progress monitoring report for Board Goal 1, which tracks third‑grade reading performance on the Arizona Academic Standards Assessment (AASA).
District leaders told the board they met the district’s one‑year target for the goal after several years of targeted reading instruction and summer programs. “We started in 2024 with 23%. Our goal for this year was to hit 27%,” Superintendent Doctor Gonzales said, adding later, “as you can see, on the next page, we hit that mark.”
The board discussion focused on why some schools improved while others declined. Doctor Aileshire described three common elements at schools that made gains: clearly scheduled intervention blocks during the school day, regular collaborative teacher planning meetings that use weekly (“just‑in‑time”) data, and training plus curriculum resources to support interventions. Aileshire also said turnover — including third‑grade teachers leaving midyear — was a recurring cause of declines at several campuses.
Board members pressed staff on subgroup differences in the data. One board member noted the underlying sample sizes and demographic distribution, flagging that the district’s headline percentage was influenced by higher rates among smaller subpopulations. “I see you guys made a 27%, but I’m seeing that it’s being anchored by 69 of 32 white kids versus 328 Hispanic kids…so I find that concerning,” a board member said. Gonzales and Aileshire responded that the district had disaggregated the data and is using it to target supports and that growth was occurring across groups even if some subgroups remain below targets.
The board voted to approve the progress monitoring report for Board Goal 1. President Carmen Trujillo moved the motion and Board member Alicia (Alicia Bink/Alicia Vink appears in the transcript) seconded. Roll call votes recorded: Doctor Alicia Bink/Alicia Vink: Aye; Erica Valle: Aye; President Carmen Trujillo: Aye.
District staff said the results reflect several district actions this year, including summer enrichment offerings (district officials said 10 programs served more than 350 students), teacher training in the science of reading, and explicit writing instruction integrated with reading work. Staff said it will continue monitoring implementation fidelity and expand training and coaching where needed.
Board members asked for continued breakdowns by school and subgroup and for follow‑up on staffing stability, intervention fidelity and family engagement strategies. The governing board did not schedule further formal action on the report at the meeting.
The vote and the presentation close out the board’s formal review of Board Goal 1 for the reporting period.
