Chandler Unified presents new career-awareness curriculum, highlights student projects and industry partnerships

District curriculum leaders presented a new career-awareness curriculum and project-based learning approach to the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board, highlighting pilot work in elementary schools, teacher supports and community partnerships.

The curriculum integrates career-awareness standards with technology and media standards and uses a project-based framework emphasizing discipline, authenticity, collaboration and iteration, district staff said. Patty Fernandez, assistant director of curriculum and instruction, said the district has developed a curriculum menu with four fully developed “required” lessons per grade band and a two-year rotation to reduce teacher planning burdens. She said the district will provide quarterly release days and one-on-one coaching (currently one coach serves three schools) to support implementation across 31 elementary schools.

"We're aligning existing standards to real world applications to make learning far more tangible," a district presenter said, summarizing the approach. Patterson Principal Sarah Stevens told the board the units have increased student engagement and improved classroom management: "The kids love them. They're inventing, they're problem solving," she said, noting students often take projects out to recess and extend learning beyond class time.

Anderson Elementary brought student voices to the board. Fifth grader James Johansson described leading a video conference with engineers from Moog, Blue Origin and Honeywell and said he prepared the meeting agenda and organized classmates' questions. "It was exciting because I got to interview people who have the job I want when I grow up," James said.

Business partners described how they will support the work. Matt Lions of McCarthy Building Companies said the firm employs about 850 craft workers in the area and offered mentorships, construction clubs and internship pathways. An Intel representative described funding for VR headsets and a semiconductor education pathway, saying VR gives students a simulated clean-room experience without leaving the classroom.

Board members asked about equity given site-level autonomy. Board President Serrano raised concerns that flexible site menus could create disparities. Patty Fernandez replied that foundational, required lessons will be district-supported and curriculum-and-teaching staff will help sites identify funding partners so that sites without resources are not left behind.

The board heard informal evidence of behavioral improvements from principals but staff said the effect so far is primarily observational reporting from teachers and principals rather than a formal incident-count analysis. The presentation concluded with staff noting recorded materials and next steps for PD and continued rollout.