a closer look at your esa

7/29/2019 A Closer Look At Your ESA

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Known as experts. Renowned for service.

A Closer Look at

Your ESA


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The MCESA MissionBuilding alliances that support innovation and excellence

in educational services throughout Maricopa County

so that all children and youth succeed.

MCESA Service AreasEDUCATIONAL INNOVATION

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING


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A message from Dr. Don Covey

Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools

WHATS IN A NAME?

On July 1, 2010, the Office of the Maricopa County Superintendent of Schoolsofficially became the Maricopa County Education Service AgencyMCESA, for short.The change was a historic one for the office, which has been in existence since 1871, andoperating under the constitutional authority given to the County Superintendent sinceArizona became a state in 1912.

MCESA, through the County Superintendent of Schools,continues to uphold its statutory responsibilities for morethan 160 mandates related to education in the county. Inaddition, by identifying ourselves as an Education ServiceAgency, we commit to re-engineer the services we provide,as well as the way in which we provide them.

Today, MCESA your Education Service Agency is acollaborative partner in advancing the systemic changesoutlined in Arizonas education reform plan so that themore than 700,000 school-age children and youth in ourcounty graduate college- and career-ready.

Though the ESA model is new to Maricopa County, it is being used successfullyacross the nation and in several other Arizona counties. More than 553 ESAs in 45states now utilize this collaborative, connected approach to identifying educational needsand challenges, leading the development of solutions, and responding with targeted andstrategic programs and services for their regions.

In recent years, ESAs have become a vital link in state and national education reformefforts aimed at taking all studentspublic, private and home schooledto thehighest levels of academic achievement and personal development. Because of theirunique role as regional leaders and facilitators, ESAs are able to build and supportpartnerships and collaborative efforts that actively engage teachers, school leaders,education and social service organizations, the business community and many others.

MCESAs staff of more than 60 expert practitioners and service-oriented profession-als has embraced this new leadership role. The result: MCESA, in collaboration with awide range of alliance partners, is actively engaged in creating and implementing inno-vative solutions to educations toughest challenges here in Maricopa County. The effectiveand sustainable programs and services highlighted in this report exemplify our work tosupport excellence in Executive Leadership, Educational Innovation and Economic

Management so that all children and youth can succeed.

MCESA isyourESA. Let us know how we can assist your school or district as you

work to carry out your vision and mission and meet your strategic goals for

improving student achievement.

Dr. Don Covey


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Spotlight on

Educational InnovationMCESA is committed to increasing student academic progress, achievement and

success in Maricopa County. We do so by building instructional leadership capacityand creating systems that provide opportunities for 21st century learners, whether theybe students in traditional or non-traditional classrooms or juveniles in transition.

READING FOR THE STARSEmpowering students with the competence and confidence to succeed

More than 1,000 fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students at five Maricopa County ele-mentary schools are learning the skills they need to meet the goals they have set forthemselves in the areas of reading, citizenship and behavior through participation in

MCESAs Reading for the Stars program. The program, in its first of three years, strivesto empower youngsters in high needs schools with the competence and confidence to suc-ceed in school, at home, in their hobbies or extracurricular activities, and in service to thecommunity. The philosophy of partner organization Kids at Hope that all children arecapable of success, no exceptions is embedded in all aspects of the program.

Research tells us that kids must be able to read to succeed in school and in life, but theyalso must be equipped with resiliency and a belief in themselves, said Angie Pogue, whoheads the Reading for the Stars program as MCESAs director of literacy. This programis purposeful about strengthening students skills in all these areas.

Supporting them in their efforts are volunteer mentors and their teachers, who have re-ceived special training in literacy and goal-setting, and classroom resources. In addition,

each of the 40 participating classrooms has received its own library of 200 reading-level and subject-appropriate books. Reading for the Stars is so much more than weever dreamed it would be, said Chris Sargent, principal at San Marcos ElementarySchool (Chandler USD). The brand new books are so motivating to the children.

Cammie Palagonias fourth-

grade class at San Marcos

Elementary School in Chandler

enjoyed time spent reading

with Phoenix Cardinals foot-

ball player Matt Ware.

School principals, teachersand community stars frombusiness, education, sportsand public service provideincentives and encourage-ment throughout the year, tocelebrate students progress

and success in meeting theirpersonal goals.

For more information, contact Angie Pogue at 602-372-3668 or [email protected].


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For more information, contact Dottie Wodraskaat 602-506-2469 or [email protected].

JUVENILE TRANSITIONSMaking connections that supportthe educational needs of court-involved youth

MCESA is leading a coordinated, collaborative community effortto ensure that the more than 10,000 Maricopa County youthinvolved in the juvenile justice system each year have the inte-grated, systemic supports necessary to find success in school,their personal lives and their communities and make it lesslikely that they will re-offend or drop out of school.

Leaders from home and family services, community youth or-ganizations, the juvenile justice system, and education were con-vened by MCESA in Fall 2010 and now meet quarterly as theMCESA Youth Transition Advisory Council (MYTAC) to connectthe dots.

"Our community is stronger and the outcomes of our effortsare greater when we work together, said Bridget McDonald,vice president of club operations for the Boys & Girls Club ofMetropolitan Phoenix and a member of MYTAC. The net ofsafety and support that is built by pooling our talents, skills andresources can only lead to success for our kids.

MYTACs efforts are based on a positive youth developmentmodel and draw heavily on resiliency research. Youth in thejustice system are not bad kids; they are broken kids makingbad decisions for which there are consequences, said DottieWodraska, MCESAs director of juvenile transitions. However,our job is to create an environment where they can learn hope-fulness and earn redemption while gaining knowledge anddeveloping productive skills and abilities for the future.

Essential objectives of MYTACs work are reinventing the sys-temic processes youth go through when they transition from de-tention or incarceration back to school and community, redefin-ing roles of youth-serving professionals, and advocating for pol-icy and procedural changes to enhance program sustainability.

SERVICE AREASNAPSHOT English Language

Learners/Title III Juvenile Transitions Literacy/Reading for

the Stars STEM Leadership for

Learning Technology Integration

Specialists T.E.A.C.H. 4 Today/

Title IID Professional Learning

Communities/Title IIA Rewarding Excellence

in Instruction andLeadership

Small School Consortium Home & Private School

Support Grant Development

OUR GOALBy June 30, 2015,Maricopa County EducationService Agency will

increase student academicprogress, achievement, andsuccess in Maricopa Countyschools and districts by3 percent , as evidencedby an average Measure ofAcademic Progress (MAP)score of 53 percent.

The belief that all children can succeedno exceptions, is embedded in

MCESAs prevention and intervention programs for at-risk youth.


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STEM LEADERSHIP FOR LEARNINGBridging the STEM divide through interactive video learning

In a six-week pilot, students in the Aguila, Paloma and Mobile school districts engaged inrigorous, problem-based math instruction through interactive video learning with MCESA

teacher Darcy Moody to augment their regular classroom learning. Professional develop-ment for the students classroom teachers was embedded in instruction as well. Moodyheld group meetings with teachers through video conferencing each week to review stu-dents progress and dialog with them about effective instructional practices.

MCESA staff has assisted pilot districts in putting the video learning tools to other uses aswell. In September 2010, MCESA coordinated a classroom visit that enabled elemen-tary students from Mobile to meet and interact with students and a scientist in Panamadoing research on cutter ants.

"Interactive video learning has the potential to transform teaching and learning in Mari-copa County and beyond, said Laurie King, MCESAs director of innovative practices.By extending the reach of our most effective teachers, connecting classrooms throughoutthe world, and modeling 21st century teaching practices, all students can benefit fromworld-class instruction no matter their location."

For more information, contact Laurie King at 602-372-3704 or [email protected].

Middle school students in three remote Maricopa Countyschool districts were the first to benefit from MCESAs

STEM Leadership for Learning initiative, which developsand implements solutions that provide access and op-portunity to high quality instruction and resources in theareas of science, technology, engineering and math.STEM Leadership for Learning strategies such as inter-active video learning, science exposition, and profes-sional development for teachers and leaders are de-signed to enable all students to graduate college- andcareer-ready.

Darcy Moody

(right), MCESAs

Director of STEM,

provides rigorous

problem-based in-

struction to students

in rural schools

through MCESAs

interactive video

learning lab.

Above, three

students conference

with Ms. Moody

about what they

have learned.


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REWARDING EXCELLENCE IN INSTRUCTION AND LEADERSHIP

Supporting teachers and principals to improve student learningMCESA and six partner districts in Maricopa County are engaged in a five-year, $51.8 millioninitiative to transform how schools recruit, retain, support, and compensate effective teachers andprincipals, particularly those that serve high needs students. Rewarding Excellence in Instructionand Leadership, or REIL, which has been underway since October 2010 and culminates in 2014-15, is funded by a Teacher Incentive Fund grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The initiatives ultimate goal is to create a replicable performance-based management systemthat will build the capacity of teachers and principals in Maricopa County to improve studentachievement. With REIL, we have the opportunity to move more teachers and leaders fromgood to great in ways that will powerfully and positively impact their careers and, more impor-tantly, the outcomes for their students, said Dr. Lori Renfro, who leads REIL as MCESAs assistant

superintendent for performance-based management systems.

REIL teachers, school and district leaders, as well as policy-makers and partners from statewideeducation organizations, including the Arizona Education Association, Arizona School Boards As-sociation, Arizona School Administrators and Arizona Association of School Business Officials areworking in collaboration with MCESAs REIL management team to bring about the necessary sys-temic changes in the areas of curriculum, instruction, student assessment, professional develop-ment, teacher evaluation, program evaluation, data management and compensation that a per-formance-based management system requires.

A top priority has been the development of a teacher and principal evaluation model that in-cludes observation and documentation, as well as multiple measures of student academic pro-gress, in keeping with recently passed state legislation. The evaluation instruments will be imple-

mented and validated throughout all participating districts during the 2011-2012 school year.

This program is comprehensive, transparent, and will provide the resources and time to employeffective planning and collaboration at all levels, from the classroom to policy makers, saidDr. Kent Scribner, superintendent of the Phoenix Union High School District.

In all, 3,380 teachers, 174 principals and assistant principals, and more than 52,000 studentswill benefit from REIL. Partner districts are Alhambra Elementary, Gila Bend Unified, Isaac Ele-mentary, Nadaburg Unified, Phoenix Union and Tolleson Elementary.

REIL Field Specialist

Linda Califano

(right) discusses

essential elements

of a highly effective

teacher evaluationinstrument with a

teacher in the

Phoenix Union High

School District.

For more information, contact Lori Renfro at 602-372-3705 or [email protected].


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Spotlight on

Economic ManagementMCESA provides leadership, support and resources that increase fiscal prudence

in district programs and operations so that all youth have the educationalopportunities to succeed.

FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERSBuilding a pipeline of fiscal expertise to help districts meet their goals

Future Business Leaders, a partnership between MCESA and the Arizona Association ofSchool Business Officials, is bearing fruit. The program, designed to prepare futureschool business leaders for careers in school business management in Maricopa Countyschool districts, graduated its first resident in Fall 2010.

Our goal is to build a pipeline of expertise that will serve school districts now and in thefuture, said Marc Kuffner, MCESAs assistant superintendent for economic managementand consulting.

By providing field-based opportunities for qualified individuals to develop the skills nec-essary to become highly effective and knowledgeable school business professionals, theinitiative will develop school business professionals who can guide districts in making re-sponsible financial and operational decisions that support improved student learning.The first program graduate, Victoria Farrar, is utilizing the knowledge and expertise shegained through the program in her new position as MCESAs itinerant business manager.Farrar works with small school districts in Maricopa County, helping them to develop andimplement effective and sustainable solutions to their unique economic challenges andfiscal management needs.

When I accepted the position as the School Business Resi-dent in September 2009, I never imagined the knowledgeand attention to detail required in the successful operationof a public school district. The on-the-job training I re-ceived in this residency, coupled with the mentoring fromAASBOs Jeff Gadd and other school business officials,led me to knowledge and insights that you just cant get ina (college) classroom, said Farrar, who will complete anMBA in Finance in early 2012. It also opened my eyes tohow critical fiscal prudence is to the real bottom line stu-dent academic success.

Two new Future Business Leaders are now serving theiryear-long residencies in Maricopa County school districts.Future Business Leaders must hold at least a bachelorsdegree and plan to pursue a career in school finance orbusiness management.

Victoria Farrar serves small school districts in the county

as MCESAs itinerant business manager

For more information, contact Marc Kuffner at 602-506-2068 or [email protected].


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VISIONS SUPPORT & CONSULTINGProviding front-line business informationsystem service to save districts time and money

Thirty Maricopa County school districts rely on MCESA to pro-vide training, support and consulting for Infinite Visions, an inte-grated resource planning system offering financial, human re-sources, payroll and related business data management tools tomeet their unique needs.

MCESAS Visions help desk staff pride themselves on theirknowledge and responsiveness in resolving issues related toVisions use. Whether it is sharing their knowledge of the Visionssystems functional and technical operations or addressing themany specialized business and human resources issues related toVisions use, MCESAs help desk staff are truly experts in thefield.

MCESAs Visions support does not end with a phone call oremail. All Visions users in Maricopa County are invited to attendthe monthly Visions user group meetings, which are led byMCESAs Mike Martinez. My goal is for Visions users to fully

understand the options and opportunities in the system so theycan be working as effectively as possible, said Martinez. Ateach meeting, Martinez provides opportunities for users to dis-cuss their business management needs, so MCESA can collabo-rate with the vendor, Tempe-based Windsor ManagementGroup, on system enhancements and improved functionality.Lastly, through the addition of a staff member in Fall 2010,MCESA will increase the number of individualized Visions train-ings the agency provides.

Through help desk support, monthly user group meetings, or one-on-one training, MCESA is committed to ensuring that districts

have the right level of support for the issues they face, rightwhen they need it.

Sandi Nelson, payroll specialist for the Queen Creek UnifiedSchool District, said MCESA support has helped the districtwork through many problems and described staff membersprofessional attitude and knowledge as a real asset toMaricopa County schools.

SERVICE AREASNAPSHOT Fiscal Management

and Consulting Tax Rate Calculation Technology Support

and Consulting Grant Management Garnishments Warrant Processing

OUR GOALBy June 30, 2015,

the Maricopa County

Education Service Agency

will increase fiscalprudence for all county

school districts by

10 percent as evidenced

by 60 percent of districts in

Maricopa County rating

compliant according to

the Arizona Auditor

General.

MCESAs Mike Martinez consults with

school districts countywide, assisting

them in making the most efficient and

effective use of the Visions business

information system.

For more information, contact Jean Bandesat 602-506-2889 or [email protected].


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Spotlight on

Executive Leadership

The County Superintendent of Schools holds a ceremony each December in general election

years for newly elected and appointed governing board members to subscribe to their oath

of office. Pictured here are board members whose terms began in January 2011, from leftRick Fields (Glendale UHSD); Kristi King (Liberty ESD); Brenda Bartels (Glendale ESD);

Linda Abril (Phoenix UHSD); Karen Bredeson (Chandler USD); Randy Schiller (Phoenix

UHSD); Maxine Hill (Agua Fria UHSD); Ricardo Gallego (Phoenix UHSD); Kay Hartwell

Hunnicutt (Litchfield ESD); Dr. Don Covey, Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools;

Beth Brizel (Kyrene ESD); Mike Hughes (Mesa USD); and Michelle Udall (Mesa USD).

Strong local leadership is essential to increasing student success and community

satisfaction in education. In compliance with Arizona Revised Statutes, MCESA appliesexpertise and high levels of customer service to conduct school district governing board,bond and override, and recall elections, and , through the County Superintendent ofSchools, makes appointments to fill vacancies on school district governing boards for allschool districts in Maricopa County.

COMMUNITIES OF SUPPORTDeveloping informed leaders who support student learning

MCESA works to create relationships and alliances that develop informed leaders whoshape policy in support of student learning. Preparing youth for college and careeropportunities takes collaborative leadership and the collective will of leaders within andoutside the education system, said MCESA Chief Deputy Superintendent Kristine Morris.

In addition to partnering with school districts and charter schools on educational, eco-nomic and leadership initiatives, MCESA actively engages with community membersinterested in becoming governing board members, local, regional and state educationalassociations, grant-making organizations, state-level legislative and policy leaders, cityand county leaders, and members of the business community to foster an understandingof and support for the education needs of Maricopa County youth.

For more information, contact Kristine Morris at 602-909-7372 or [email protected].


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COLLABORATIVE DECISION-MAKINGOpening doorways to elected servicethrough the appointment process

A collaborative, community-focused process for selecting andappointing individuals to fill vacant seats on school district gov-erning boards in Maricopa County is resulting in high levels ofcommunity satisfaction and participation. The process was devel-

oped in collaboration with education and community groups andimplemented by Dr. Don Covey, Maricopa County Superinten-dent of Schools, upon taking office in January 2009. As ofMarch 2011, it had resulted in 24 successful board appoint-ments.

Dr. Coveys consensus decision-making approach represents astark change from the past, when board appointments weremade in isolation or with no formal opportunity for communityneeds to be understood and considered. The process calls for anindependent, three-person team including the district governingboard president, superintendent and president of the teachers

association, to review the applications of interested individuals now plentiful in most districts because of the open and inclusiveprocess and develop consensus on three candidates to recom-mend for appointment. This core group may seek the input ofother community members parents, business and civic leaders,for example, but ultimately these three are tasked with reachingconsensus and forwarding their recommendations to Dr. Covey.In all cases to date, Dr. Covey has selected people for appoint-ment from those recommended by local collaboration teams.

Karen Bredeson was appointed by Dr. Covey to Chandler Uni-fied School District board in 2010 and began her first elected

term in January 2011. Board service has been a wonderfuland rewarding experience, she said. The preparation and in-terviews I went through during the appointment process helpedme gain a better understanding of the district and prepared mefor some of the experiences I encountered while running forelection when my appointed term was up. Bredeson is one ofmany appointees who have gone on to be elected after theirappointed terms expired, an indication that the process now inplace represents local interests.

SERVICE AREASNAPSHOT Governing Board

Elections Governing Board

Appointments Recall Elections Bond & Override

Elections

OUR GOALBy June 30, 2015,the Maricopa CountyEducation Service Agency

will increase satisfaction ineducation by 7 percent,as evidenced by 55 per-cent of Maricopa Countyresidents surveyed in theExpect More Arizonasurvey rating educationas good or excellent.

Dr. Camille Casteel (left), superintendent of the Chandler

Unified School District, with board member

Karen Bredeson on the day of her appointment.

Bredeson went on to win election to the board

when her appointed term expired.

For more information, contact Hope Olguinat 602-506-3978 or [email protected].


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Maricopa County Youth

An Educational Snapshot

6

19

65

1121 18

37

242518

28 29

0

20

40

60

80

FallsFarBelow Approaches Meets ExceedsSumofRe ading SumofMathematics SumofScience

Maricopa County is home to more than 700,000 school-age children

or approximately 63 percent of all school-age children in the state of Arizona.

ETHNIC DIVERSITY

Maricopa County is hometo a diverse studentpopulation.

STUDENT SUCCESS

The majority of Maricopa County students meet or exceed state standards on reading,mathematics and science, as measured by the AIMS test.

However, the most current results for Arizona fourth graders on the national NAEP test(2009) show only 24 percent are proficient or advanced in reading, 28 percent are pro-

ficient or advanced in mathematics, and just 21 percent are proficient in science (withnone meeting advanced).

Maricopa CountyCombined AIMS Resultsfor Grades 3-12

Reading Mathematics Science

Approaches Meets ExceedsFalls Far Below


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EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS

The vast majority of students, approximately 617,000, attendon of the 785 traditional public schools in Maricopa Countys58 traditional school districts.

Nearly 70,000 students attend the more than 270 charterschools in the county.

Approximately 16,000 attend private schools.

About 9,300 are homeschooled.


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More than 60 knowledgeable, service-oriented professionals work each day to carry

out the MCESA mission of building alliances that support innovation and excellencein Maricopa County so that all children and youth can succeed. Staff also assist in up-holding the statutory responsibilities of the Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools .

Spotlight on

MCESA Leadership Team

Collaboration and partnership, which are essential to MCESAs educational, economicand leadership initiatives, also drive internal operations. MCESAs Leadership Team, pic-tured here, exemplifies the agencys belief that cross-functional alliances lead to effec-tive and sustainable solutions. Chief Deputy Superintendent of Schools Kristine Morris(front row center) facilitates the team, which includes staff members from MCESAs threeservice areas: Educational Innovation, Economic Management and Executive Leadership.

MCESA Leadership Team members are (clockwise from far left) Jean Bandes, IT opera-tions manager; Willie Ware, network administrator; Mike Martinez, database reportwriter analyst; Marc Kuffner, assistant superintendent of economic management and con-sulting; Tracey Benson, director of communications; Regina Perez, human resources man-ager; Doris Waxberg, executive assistant to the County Superintendent; Lori Renfro, as-sistant superintendent of performance-based management systems; Kristine Morris, chiefdeputy superintendent; Tammy Blanchard, executive assistant to the deputy superinten-dent; and Victoria Farrar, itinerant business manager.

Known as experts. Renowned for service.


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Learn more about how MCESA can assist your school or district

in supporting your vision and mission and meeting your strategic goals.

Call 602-506-3055 or visit www.maricopa.gov/schools.

AGUA FRIA Union High School District AGUILA Elementary District ALHAMBRA

Elementary District ARLINGTON Elementary District AVONDALE Elementary District

BALSZ Elementary District BUCKEYE ELEMENTARY District BUCKEYE UNION High

School District CARTWRIGHT Elementary District CAVE CREEK Unified District

CHANDLER Unified District CREIGHTON Elementary District DEER VALLEY Unified

District DYSART Unified District EAST VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

FOUNTAIN HILLS Unified District FOWLER Elementary District GILA BEND Unified

District GILBERT Unified District GLENDALE ELEMENTARY District GLENDALE UNION

High School District HIGLEY Unified District ISAAC Elementary District KYRENE

Elementary District LAVEEN Elementary District LIBERTY Elementary District

LITCHFIELD Elementary District LITTLETON Elementary District MADISON Elementary

District MARICOPA REGIONAL MESA Unified District MOBILE Elementary District

MORRISTOWN Elementary District MURPHY Elementary District NADABURG Unified

District OSBORN Elementary District PALO VERDE Elementary District PALOMA

Elementary District PARADISE VALLEY Unified District PENDERGAST Elementary

District PEORIA Unified District PHOENIX ELEMENTARY District PHOENIX UNION

High School District QUEEN CREEK Unified District RIVERSIDE Elementary District

ROOSEVELT Elementary District SADDLE MOUNTAIN Unified District SCOTTSDALE

Unified District SENTINEL Elementary District TEMPE ELEMENTARY District

TEMPE UNION High School District TOLLESON ELEMENTARY District

TOLLESON UNION High School District UNION Elementary District WASHINGTON

Elementary District WEST-MEC WICKENBURG Unified District

WILSON Elementary District

CHARTER SCHOOLS

HOME & PRIVATE SCHOOL FAMILIES

Serves


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4041 N. Central Ave., Ste. 1100, Phoenix AZ 85012

Phone: 602.506.3866 Fax: 602.506.3753

www.maricopa.gov/schools

Creating innovative, effective, sustainable solutionsto educations toughest challenges.

March 20

a closer look at your esa

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