Prescott Unified highlights AP gains and improved A–F scores as district lays out next steps

Prescott Unified School District reported gains across advanced placement participation and state accountability measures at its Nov. 4 governing board meeting. District staff said 231 students took AP courses this year, 351 exams were administered and 79% of test takers scored a 3 or higher — a record high for the five‑year span the district reviewed.

The presentation moved from AP outcomes to the state’s A–F accountability model. Kelsey (PUSD assessment staff) summarized the district’s composite result: a district GPA of 3.42, placing Prescott Unified in the ‘B’ category, with every school maintaining or improving its letter grade from the prior year. “All A’s and B’s,” Kelsey said of the school results; she noted that the district was “this close” to returning to an A‑district rating.

Why the gains, staff told trustees: expanded course offerings, more students choosing AP, strengthened curriculum alignment and targeted supports. Mr. Neeley reviewed AP data and credited increased participation and teacher quality: “We had the largest number of AP students in the stretch we reviewed,” he said. Trustees and students who spoke pointed to a mix of factors — early college options, dual enrollment, and instructors — and urged staff to compile cumulative credit totals (AP, dual enrollment, early college and CTE) so the board can see how many postsecondary credits students earn collectively.

Presenters walked trustees through how the state builds A–F ratings: proficiency (30% for K–8), growth (50% for K–8), EL measures, acceleration/readiness, chronic absenteeism and special‑education inclusion. Kelsey cautioned that large swings in one cohort (for example, very high third‑grade proficiency) can reduce growth points the next year, and that much of the A–F calculation still depends on single‑day assessments. She described local action steps to sustain improvement — standards‑aligned instruction, refined pacing guides, classroom strategies tied to brain‑science, math curriculum updates for K–4 and stipends/coaching for 5–8 math teachers — and highlighted Mile High Middle School’s recovery after a prior D rating as an example of school‑level turnaround.

What’s next: trustees asked staff to return with cohort‑level credit totals and further detail on how district strategies map to state indicators. Kelsey and Mr. Neeley said they would provide those data and continue monitoring chronic absenteeism and subgroup performance as near‑term priorities.