BUCKEYE, Ariz. — A West Valley school district is celebrating a big achievement: 27 perfect scores on state standardized math and English tests.
That number reflects a broader trend in the Buckeye Elementary School District. Gains made across all subjects over the past two years in state testing are four times better than the state average.
“It is exciting, but it isn’t shocking. We’ve been working really hard,” said Dayna Bechard, a 5th Grade English Language Arts teacher in the district.
District leaders credit strong parental involvement, unified teaching methods across its eight schools and an emphasis on teaching students social skills that eroded during COVID shutdowns.
“We’re teaching those social skills and embedding them just like we would teach math and writing,” said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Araceli Montoya.
Perhaps the most significant factor for the district’s success however is Project Momentum, a program that pays teachers to receive training and leadership development outside of regular school hours. Teachers learn new instruction methods and ways to help students track their progress.
“It’s all about teacher development, teacher growth, leadership development and leadership growth,” Montoya said.
The program cost breaks down to an average of $147 per pupil. The district has used nonprofit donations and federal funds to implement the program, which was launched during the Ducey administration.
“Our teachers work in collaborative teams weekly. We meet during breaks. We meet during summer. We meet as often as we can,” Bechard said.
Citing success in other districts, State Superintendent Tom Horne announced earlier this year the Department of Education signed a $10 million contract with Project Momentum Arizona to continue the program and expand it in other schools across the state. Project Momentum is now in 80 schools, a spokesperson for Horne said Monday.
The Avondale Elementary School District also noted that after implementing the program, scores improved at twice the rate of the state over three years. Math scores alone improved at three times the rate of the state.
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