At the January Governing Board Meeting, Roosevelt School District Superintendent Dr. Dani Portillo provided an update on the interim goals for Superintendent Guardrail #5.
Guardrail 5
In attaining the Board’s student outcome goals, the Superintendent shall not fail to ensure progress towards exiting aTSI and CSI status, which ensures that students with special needs (SPED) and English Learners (EL) receive equitable access to high-quality instruction, resources, and support services tailored to their unique needs, to promote their academic success and overall development.
Interim Guardrail 1
By December 2025, establish a district-wide progress-monitoring system for EL students’ English language acquisition, with data reviewed at least quarterly, to ensure that 100% of students receive timely interventions based on their English language acquisition needs.
Progress Monitoring
We currently use several assessments to measure progress toward English language proficiency, including our Star and DnA assessments.
The EL reading benchmark aligns with the ELP standards and is housed in the Synergy system. The EL coaches are working with our assessment team to explore 2 options:
Move the assessment to DnA and continue administering according to the district assessment calendar
Adjust the current DnA assessments by aligning current questions to both AZ standards AND ELP standards; add additional questions if necessary – this approach eliminates an additional test for EL students AND provides comparison data from non-EL students.
With our EduClimber platform, we can view students comprehensively. This includes academic data, attendance, behavior, and discipline data. This can be sorted and filtered to focus only on EL students, which can help determine which other factors may be supporting or hindering their growth.
We have structures in place at both the district and site levels to monitor all data, and we are refining agendas and protocols to specifically address EL data. On top of that, our two EL coaches regularly analyze EL learning data, especially after the aforementioned assessments, to measure growth and determine strengths and gaps. Not only do they use this data in designing PD, but they will also embed the use of the data in PD.
Interim Guardrail 2
By October 2025, conduct an external comprehensive study of our district's English acquisition services, including: Tier 1 instruction delivered by general education staff; intervention; parental communication and engagement; leadership and organizational structure; curriculum and professional development.
Progress Monitoring
August/September
Project Initiation
Foundational data collection and analysis
Communication to schools and stakeholders
October/November
Site visits – classroom observations at 5 schools (Tier 1 instruction language supports) and Principal interviews
Survey development – Administrators, teachers, and students
Community survey developed and administered (approximately 106+ responses)
December/January
Survey distribution and data collection
Interviews – teachers and students
Comprehensive analysis and triangulation of all data:
Instructional practices
Adult supports
Leadership systems
Interim Guardrail 3
By December 2025, ensure that each school with aTSI and/or CSI status has implemented a comprehensive needs assessment and action plan, with 100% of the plans anchored in evidence-based strategies proven to increase the learning outcomes of the school’s specifically identified targeted student groups.
Progress Monitoring
All schools complete the full Integrated Action Plan process required through ADE each spring, which includes the following key components.
In addition, all schools are part of Project Momentum, which requires quarterly goals aligned with the GEARS framework, a set of evidence-based strategies. Project Momentum also requires at least one of the quarterly goals to focus on improving instruction for the student population identified in their aTSI/CSI status.
To support this work, each principal has a Principal Partner who provides monthly coaching support.
Project Momentum also comes with additional funding to support teacher development aligned with their school’s goals.