Pay, officers on agenda for Crane, District 1

Both Crane and District 1 Elementary School district governing boards will meet Tuesday to discuss numerous agenda items, including school resource officers and teacher performance pay.
 
The public is welcome to the Crane meeting, which begins at 5 p.m. in the board room of the Crane Education Center, 4250 W. 16th St.
 
Open for discussion is an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between Crane and the Yuma Police Department. It will provide for the continuation of school resource officers (SROs) and will formalize how they are funded, since they are employed by YPD but actually perform their jobs on campus, explained board president Brenna Paulin.

"We feel very fortunate the funding is available for the SRO program. The reason I feel they're so important is school safety and it sets a tone for good behavior."
 
In addition to providing security, SROs teach law education and forensic science, and coach the Crime Scene Investigative teams that compete in statewide competition, Paulin said.
 
The board will also vote to approve a plan for teacher performance pay in place already during the previous seven years, according to Lynn Thompson, associate superintendent.
 
The board will set the criteria by which teachers may qualify to get performance pay for this academic year. In November 2000, Arizona voters passed Proposition 301, which set aside a certain amount from an increase in state sales taxes to be earmarked for performance pay for teachers. Money generated by state land trust sales are also slated for this program, Thompson said.
 
Crane has divided performance pay into two components. Although teachers work especially hard for all students, they identify five to seven remedial students to focus on for improvement in reading. The second component requires each teacher to participate in three coaching sessions, she noted.
 
Based on  performance assessments such the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) and the Adequate Yearly Progress rating and other test scores, teachers receive extra pay if students reach achievement goals.
 
The plan is periodically updated by Arizona legislators, who approve which testing criteria will apply. But the plan has essentially remained the same, and the board will vote on its continuation, Thompson said.
 
Also open to the public is Yuma Elementary District 1 board meeting  at 5:30 p.m. in the district administrative office, 450 W. 6th St.
 
District 1 will also consider an IGA for SROs with the city of Yuma. The agreement provides for five officers for the middle schools and is funded by a Safe Schools/Cops state grant, according to Tom Hurt, District 1 associate superintendent.
 
District 1 SROs are required to teach 180 hours per year in such subjects as law related education, prevention strategies and bullying. SROs increase safety through their presence on campus, serve as positive role models and help build relationships in the community, Hurt noted.
 
"The visibility of SROs is awesome. They are a vital part of middle and high schools and help build trust between police, staff and students. They are also often there for students to rely upon as a resource and confidante."
 
District 1 also will consider approving curricular and instructional alignment to the Arizona academic standards. They are required to teach to the state standards as measured by AIMS.
 
"Our driving goal is to have 80 percent of students to meet or exceed Arizona academic standards within two years," Hurt said. "It's just something we look forward to doing because it gives teachers a chance to succeed in the classroom by adhering to state standards."


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William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.