Phoenix Union board adopts interim goals and monitoring tools for English learners
Summary
The Phoenix Union High School District governing board unanimously approved a package of interim goals aimed at improving English-learner outcomes, including classroom walkthrough monitoring and the Flashlight 360 formative assessment, after leadership presented expected outputs and an example of student progress.
The Phoenix Union High School District governing board voted unanimously to adopt interim goals designed to accelerate English-language development and give the board timely measures to monitor progress.
The goals — billed as interim measures tied to the district's Goal 4 for English learners — set targets for classroom implementation and formative growth. "By May 2026, 85 percent of all targeted ELD classrooms are consistently implementing research-based English language development instructional routines as measured by weekly classroom walkthroughs," a volunteer read aloud during the meeting. Leaders also proposed a target for integrated content classrooms and a Flashlight 360 benchmark for measurable fall-to-spring student growth.
District presenters described a three-part monitoring approach: inputs (curriculum, professional development and resources), outputs (walkthrough and benchmark results) and outcomes (state summative results such as the AZELa exam). Speaker Jorge (district presenter) told the board that about "20 percent of our total enrollment" is identified as language learners and explained the adopted model centers "all educators" in language development, with integrated instruction in mainstream classes and targeted ELD classes for focused language work.
On the Flashlight 360 tool, the leadership team emphasized it is embedded in curriculum, formative in nature and focused on speaking and writing. "They are not additional assessments," a presenter said, adding Flashlight recordings are scored by trained raters contracted through the program and used to give students feedback and a "virtual backpack" of recordings to track progress.
Board members raised practical questions about implementation: which staff perform walkthroughs, whether visits are announced and how data and slide attachments would be circulated to allow board members to prepare questions in advance. Presenters said campus administrators, instructional mentors and trained leaders conduct the brief, typically unannounced walkthroughs and that the district has completed more than 1,600 walkthroughs in the comparison window used in the packet.
President Pastor Rivera moved to adopt the package of interim goals; the motion was seconded by Board Member Cross and approved by voice vote (tally announced as 4-0). The board received assurances from district staff that the interims will be used for progress monitoring and to target professional development rather than as a punitive evaluation tool.
The board then recessed for lunch and scheduled follow-up monitoring reports. The leadership team said it will return data in subsequent progress-monitoring cycles and invited board members to submit questions at least three days before meetings so staff can prepare fuller responses.
