Three finalists stress student-centered priorities at Chandler Unified superintendent forum

Chandler, Ariz. — Three finalists for Chandler Unified School District superintendent used a community forum to outline how they would lead a district grappling with declining enrollment, safety concerns and the need to align programs with workforce demand.

John Bash of national search firm Hazard Young Attea opened the forum, explaining the board's process and an online input tool for public feedback that the district will review before making a selection. Each finalist answered the same set of eight questions drawn from a community survey.

Lana Berry, the district's chief financial officer and one finalist, framed her candidacy around five pillars: governance, teaching and learning, culture and people, community partnerships and financial stewardship. "Students are always the number 1 priority in our district," Berry said, calling for data-driven decisions and frequent communication with the governing board, staff and families. Berry cited the district's investments in safety and services, including secure entryways, fencing, security guards and a newly approved Raptor visitor-screening system, and underscored the need for continual training and prompt communication with parents.

Berry described declining enrollment as a multi-year trend driven by lower birth rates, limited new housing inside the district's 80 square miles, and competition from about 26 charter and 11 private schools. She gave specific figures from school visits: roughly 4,000 high school seniors and under 2,000 kindergartners, and noted the district's roughly 5,400 employees and a roughly $625,000,000 budget. Berry said the next superintendent must balance program innovation (for example, a new semiconductor program at Hamilton High School) with fiscal stewardship and careful, data-guided program adjustments.

Ebi Davila Hagigat, another finalist, said her priorities are sustaining academic excellence, fiscal responsibility and building a welcoming culture that ensures people "feel seen and heard." Hagigat emphasized clarity of purpose and documentation to prevent politicized disputes from pulling the district off course. On safety, she highlighted ALICE training and observed locked classroom doors during school visits, and she proposed campaigns and anonymous reporting channels to address bullying and strengthen adult-student connections.

Dr. Anna Battle, the third finalist, prioritized high academic expectations for every student, workforce-aligned professional development for staff and transparent stewardship of public funds. Battle noted the district recently approved a $271,000,000 bond and said community trust requires visible, accountable spending. She described systems for emergency planning and testing (standing threat-assessment meetings, communications checks and drills), and urged partnerships with nonprofits and businesses to expand mental-health supports and internship pathways.

Across candidates, common themes were protecting electives and career-technical education, strengthening mental-health and counseling capacity through partnerships, and keeping schools safe through infrastructure, training and clear protocols. All three emphasized two-way communication with parents and community partners and said they would use data to prioritize programs as enrollment changes.

The forum closed with a reminder that the district's online input tool would remain open through the evening. The governing board will review survey responses and staff and candidate evaluations before making a hiring decision; candidates' proposed timelines varied, but the district noted any new superintendent contract will begin July 1 if a selection is made by the board.