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District coaches present quarter‑one benchmark gains and next steps in Baboquivari retreat
Summary
At its Oct. 26 fall retreat, Baboquivari Unified School District coaches and principals presented quarter‑one benchmark results showing pockets of growth across grades, explained data tools for board review and outlined interventions (PLCs, peer coaching, targeted small‑group instruction) and next steps to address gaps.
District coaches presented a data‑dive at the Baboquivari Unified School District fall retreat that showed early quarter‑one gains in multiple grade levels and identified targeted interventions to move more students toward district goals.
Janet Kinsey and Gabby Medina introduced a graphic organizer and a short question 'cheat sheet' intended to help governing‑board members, principals and teachers ask consistent, evidence‑based questions when reviewing benchmark charts. Coaches emphasized that some charts show raw counts (not percentages) and guided the board through examples of pre‑assessment to quarter‑one growth and where further inquiry should focus.
The retreat highlighted multiple campus presentations that together showed reductions in counts of minimally proficient students and increases in partially and fully proficient groups in many grades. Site leaders described promising practices: weekly professional learning communities (PLCs), small‑group targeted instruction, intervention classes (including a move‑on‑with‑reading paraprofessional in 3rd grade), an explicit reteach/retest cycle using district formative assessments (DFAs), and peer coaching between teachers.
Board members pressed for clarity about how the data map to district targets — the stated objective that 80% of students reach 70% mastery or show 25% growth on essential standards — and asked principals to return with specific, measurable follow‑ups. Superintendent Diaz framed the board’s role as setting the “thermostat” by asking rigorous questions; principals responded with plans to track action steps and to report progress at the next quarter review.
Attendance and chronic absenteeism emerged as a recurring concern in the data discussions. Presenters noted that high absenteeism can depress proficiency metrics and described campus incentives (pizza parties, raffles, attendance contracts) and outreach (parent liaisons, home visits) currently in use. The board signaled interest in a districtwide, tiered chronic‑absence protocol to standardize responses across campuses.
What’s next: Schools will continue quarterly benchmark reporting, and district staff will develop a concise follow‑up packet showing specific teacher and cohort action steps, timelines and expected outcomes for the next board retreat. The superintendent also plans to propose a consistent chronic‑absence response framework for board consideration.
