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District reports falling severe incidents, fewer F grades in several subjects; credits-on-track rise with block-scheduling effect
Summary
District staff reported July 8 that severe discipline incidents and suspensions have declined while semester-two grades showed fewer F grades in several core subjects and cumulative high‑school credits rose, partly due to expanded block-schedule offerings.
Mesa Public Schools officials presented districtwide discipline trends and semester-two grades and cumulative credits at the July 8 board meeting, highlighting lower rates of severe violations and improvements in course passing and credits earned.
Assistant Superintendent Doctor Gibbs summarized behavior data: the district recorded roughly 0.4 incidents per student and about 6% of students were repeat offenders (more than two incidents) over the year. The share of incidents categorized as “severe violations” declined year to year, and the proportion of dispositions resulting in out-of-school suspension dropped by about three percentage points, the district reported. Gibbs credited better documentation and expanded early interventions — student conferences, behavior contracts and counseling — for the trend.
Director of Curriculum Doctor Glassmeyer presented semester-two course-grade trends for ninth- and tenth-grade cohorts. Notable results included decreasing percentages of F grades in freshman English, biology and other core subjects, and substantial decreases in failing rates for geometry (from about 22% to 13% among the analysed cohort). Officials attributed part of the math recovery to sustained instructional focus and resources.
Glassmeyer also reported cumulative credit trends: the share of freshmen meeting the district’s minimum credit target rose after three high schools adopted an eight-credit block schedule; districtwide percentages of students on track (by grade-level credit targets) increased from the prior year. Staff cautioned these credit gains change master-schedule and staffing calculations and flagged potential impacts on section sizes and ADM-based budgeting. Trustees asked staff to pursue where strong instructional practice produced geometry gains so those methods can be spread to other classrooms.
Board members and administrators agreed to continue monitoring discipline reporting (office referral completeness) and to track whether grade improvements translate into gains on standardized measures.
