May School Boards Recap

Here’s your quick May wrap-up for Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, Peoria, and Tucson school districts: 

School Board Members: Courtney Davis, Lacy Chaffee, Sharon Benson, Marcie Hutchinson, and Rachel Walden  

• Mesa renewed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to continue the FAFSA Peer Coach Project, which trains student leaders to help peers complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and boost college‑going rates. 
• The Board extended its Head Start partnership through June 2027, ensuring continued services for preschool children with disabilities in compliance with federal requirements.  

School Board Members: Patti Serrano, Barb Mozdzen, Claudia Mendoza, Kurt Rhors, and Ryan Heap 

• Chandler Unified renewed its Intergovernmental Agreement with Maricopa County Head Start to continue providing preschool services, including services for children with disabilities for three‑ to five‑year‑olds. 

• The Board approved a wide variety of updates to CTE course costs, student course fees, and school meal prices to keep pace with rising costs of goods and services and to cover materials needed for hands‑on courses. 

• The Board also approved a 2025 bond project to convert stadium lights at Basha, Casteel, Chandler, Hamilton, and Perry High Schools to energy‑efficient LED systems, cutting energy use by 40–65% and saving about $40,000 annually. The upgrade will also improve field lighting while reducing glare and preserving darker skies for nearby neighborhoods. 

School Board Members: Jessie Brainard, Chad Thompson, Dr. Blake Robison, Jill Humpherys, Shana Murray 

• Gilbert Public Schools approved several major maintenance and facility upgrades, including gym floor refinishing across all high schools and junior highs, design work for Desert Ridge High’s roofing replacement, new flooring at South Valley Junior High, concrete repairs at Patterson Elementary, and sound/lighting/AV upgrades at Gilbert High School’s auditorium.  

• The Board also approved a $412,155 refresh of CTE lab technology, adding new desktops, laptops, and monitors to support programs such as biomed, programming, marketing, agriculture, automotive, and digital communications. 

School Board Members: Sandra Christensen, Anne Greenberg, Dr. Amanda Lim, Jessica Wani, and Tony Pantera 

• PVUSD approved several maintenance and facility updates, including roofing renovations at Desert Trails Elementary, Sonoran Sky Elementary, and Whispering Wind Academy, along with awarding a new districtwide contract for paint and painting supplies. 
• The Board also voted to call two Special Override Elections for November 2026: one for its 15% budget Maintenance & Operations (M&O) override and one for its $6,730,000 or 10% of its revenue control limit for a period of not to exceed seven (7) years District Additional Assistance (DAA) override, with August 7, 2026 at 5 p.m. set as the deadline to submit arguments for or against either measure to the Maricopa County School Superintendent. 

School Board Members: Carine Werner, Mike Sharkey, Dr. Matt Pittinsky, Dr. Donna Lewis, and Amy Carney 

• Scottsdale Unified held an in‑depth discussion on its 1:1 technology model, outlining plans to expand parent options to increase transparency into student device use, and finalize a new Technology for Learning Framework that emphasizes instruction‑first, balanced screen time, and strong digital citizenship. The district will schedule a special board meeting for continued discussion. You can view the full presentation here. 

• The Board approved resolutions calling for a Special Bond Election on November 3, 2026, asking voters to consider a new $375M bond package to support district capital needs; the Board also released the accompanying bond presentation and election materials for public review. 

School Board Members: Melissa Ewing, Becky Proudfit, Heather Rooks, Jeff Tobey, Janelle Bowles 

• Peoria Unified approved a comprehensive PreK–12 English Language Arts curriculum adoption, selecting Teaching Strategies for Pre‑K; Amplify CKLA for K–5; Amplify ELA for grades 6–8 (including the Cactus Cluster); Great Minds’ Wit & Wisdom, Geodes, and Fundations for Peoria Traditional School; and Savvas MyPerspectives for high school core ELA. The Board also adopted new Bedford, Freeman & Worth supplemental materials for Pre‑AP, Honors, and AP English courses. 
• The Board also approved updated 2026–27 schedules of course fees, non‑class fees, KidZone rates, and preschool fees for the upcoming school year. 

School Board Members: Jennifer Eckstrom, Dr. Ravi Shah, Natalie Luna Rose, Val Romero, and Sadie Shaw 

• The TUSD school board approved updated personnel actions and a slate of new assistant principal appointments across multiple campuses, filling key leadership roles for the 2026–27 school year. 

• The Board also approved major weatherization projects at Catalina High School and Hollinger K‑8, funded through the School Facilities Division, to improve building protection and extend facility life. 

Thanks for reading this month’s update! 

If you missed April’s update, you can read it here.

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