District News

Year Three Progress Report: Building a Sustainable Future

Kyrene School District is now three years into the Kyrene Strategic Plan 2023-2028: Thrive! Ready for the Future, and year three brought significant progress at a pivotal moment for our district. I am proud to share that Kyrene is on track to meet or exceed its strategic plan goals, even as the district undertook one of the most difficult planning efforts in its history. Over the next two years, we will be focused on maintaining those results and reaching our remaining goals.

The purpose of the strategic plan is to ensure Kyrene is ready for the future. That means continuing to improve outcomes for students while also making responsible, forward-looking decisions about the systems and resources that support them. Even as the district navigated difficult decisions in year three, Kyrene students and staff continued to make meaningful progress toward the goals that matter most.

The strategic plan is organized around four specific, measurable goals in the areas of Early Literacy, Academic Progress, Sense of Belonging, and Equity.

Early Literacy: 85% of students in grades K-3 will meet end-of-year reading benchmarks by 2028

One of the most exciting outcomes from year three is that Kyrene kindergarteners have reached the Early Literacy goal two years ahead of schedule. Before the implementation of strategic plan initiatives, 74% of kindergarten students were meeting end-of-year reading benchmarks. In year one, that number increased to 78%. In year two, it climbed to 81%. By the end of year three, 86% of kindergarten students met benchmark goals. First grade students are also nearly at the goal, with 84% of students reaching benchmarks. While the full goal measures K-3 students by 2028, these Kindergarten and 1^st Grade results are strong early indicators.

This achievement reflects sustained focus and investment. Since the start of the strategic plan, Kyrene has supported early literacy through smaller K-2 class sizes, additional teacher support, and expanded literacy training. In year three, the district strengthened this work through grade-level planning days, professional learning communities, and district-level support to help teachers monitor student progress, identify trends, and respond to learning needs.

Academic Progress: Increase the District’s Academic Progress score to at least 70% by 2028.

Kyrene’s Academic Progress goal is a districtwide measure based on the weighted average of students passing, growing, and on-track on state English Language Arts and Math assessments. The baseline for this measure was 57% at the start of the strategic plan. Kyrene remained at 57% in year one, increased to 62% in year two, and remained at 62% in year three.

While we always want continued growth, sustaining the gains made in year two is important progress. Academic progress is often a lagging indicator, and the foundational work underway in early literacy, Tier 1 instruction, student support, and sense of belonging is designed to contribute to long-term academic growth. As Kyrene moves into year four, Academic Progress will remain a key area of focus.

Sense of Belonging: 10% increase in middle school students giving favorable responses to questions about belonging on the annual Panorama survey

Kyrene has also reached this goal two years ahead of schedule. Before the strategic plan, 39% of Kyrene middle school students responded favorably to questions regarding sense of belonging on our annual survey. In year one, that number increased to 40%. In year two, it rose to 47%. In year three, 49% of middle school students reported a favorable sense of belonging, meeting Kyrene’s 2028 goal.

This growth matters because students learn best when they feel safe, connected, and supported. Kyrene’s work in this area has included adoption of the district’s first Social Emotional Learning and Wellness Policy, implementation of Character Strong at the middle school level, and continued attention to student connection, well-being, and engagement. Reaching this goal early is a major accomplishment, and maintaining that progress will be especially important as our students and school communities experience transitions related to school consolidation.

Equity: Proportionate student representation in advanced coursework, gifted identification, and discipline

Equity remains an ongoing commitment in Kyrene. Because this measure was established during the strategic plan, year one serves as the point of comparison, with 58% of student groupings either proportionate or showing improvement. In year two, that number increased to 73%. In year three, Kyrene maintained that 73% level.

Kyrene examines student representation across multiple groupings and focus areas, including advanced coursework, gifted services, referrals, and suspensions. Sustaining progress in this area matters, because true equity requires continuous attention to whether all students have access to the opportunities, supports, and learning environments they need to succeed.

Strategic Imperatives in Action

In addition to progress toward district goals, year three included important work under each of Kyrene’s strategic imperatives.

Year three was defined by Long Range Facilities Planning, a strategic initiative under the umbrella of Optimal Operations and Resources. Throughout the 2025-26 school year, Kyrene engaged staff, families, and community members; reviewed enrollment projections; evaluated facility use; and conducted public discussions to support Governing Board decisions regarding school consolidation. Those decisions were not easy. Kyrene schools are deeply connected to the communities they serve, and we understand the emotion that comes with changes of this magnitude. The board’s vote to consolidate schools will help position Kyrene to use resources responsibly and continue serving students effectively in the years ahead.

Under Future Ready Schools, Kyrene strengthened Tier 1 instruction through collaborative planning and data-driven practices. The district also implemented structures for instructional planning for both general and special education teachers, based on key findings of the prior year’s Special Education Opportunity Review. Under Highly Engaged People & Culture, the district evaluated a compensation study, resulting in Governing Board approval of compensation adjustments designed to strengthen recruitment and retention of specialized employees. Those adjustments will take effect in year four.

As Kyrene enters the fourth year of the strategic plan, our work will focus on sustaining the goals we have already reached, accelerating progress where we still have ground to cover, and supporting students, staff, and families through the next phase of long-range planning decisions. Strategic planning is an active, continuous improvement process with oversight by the Kyrene Governing Board. The plan itself is dynamic, but the purpose remains constant: to ensure Kyrene students are ready for the future.

Read more about the Kyrene Strategic Plan 2023-2028: Thrive! Ready for the Future on our website:

www.kyrene.org/strategicplan.