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Maricopa Unified board approves personnel schedule; district reports 92% employee retention
Summary
The Maricopa Unified School District governing board on April 9 approved the personnel schedule and consent agenda, and staff reported a 92% contract-return retention rate districtwide and continued hiring needs in several areas.
The Maricopa Unified School District governing board voted April 9 to approve the personnel schedule and the meeting consent agenda following staff presentations on hiring and retention.
Human-resources staff told the board the district had a 92% retention rate for returned contracts this year, up from roughly 87% last year. Related-service providers were reported at about 95% retention and counselors at about 93%. The HR presentation also stated that as of the Monday before the meeting about 25 general-education teaching positions and roughly a dozen special-education positions remained open; staff said hire paperwork continued to arrive and they expected to be ready for the start of the next school year.
“You have a busy personnel schedule in front of you tonight,” HR staff said at the meeting, and later confirmed a 92% retention rate as a positive outcome. Board members credited a combination of compensation, working conditions and professional development for the improved retention.
The board approved the HR agenda by a roll-call vote, with Shontay Rothschild, Ben Owens, Carolyn Lopez, Patty Cutray and President Robert Downey voting aye. Immediately after that vote, HR announced hires and leadership changes: Kevin Sotomayor was introduced as the new principal at Maricopa High School and Christine Dickinson as the next principal at Butterfield Elementary School.
Votes at a glance
- Personnel schedule (HR agenda): Passed, 5–0 (Rothschild, Owens, Lopez, Cutray, Downey — all aye). - Consent agenda: Passed, 5–0 (roll-call approval earlier in the meeting).
Clarifying details
- Reported retention: 92% of staff returned contracts overall; related-service providers ~95%; counselors ~93% (figures provided by HR staff at the April 9 meeting). - Open positions reported (as of the Monday before the meeting): ~25 general-education positions and about a dozen special-education positions (HR said hiring paperwork was ongoing). - New principal introductions: Kevin Sotomayor (Maricopa High School) and Christine Dickinson (Butterfield Elementary School).
Sources: HR presentation by district staff and roll-call votes during the April 9, 2025 Maricopa Unified School District governing-board meeting.
