Andersen Elementary fourth-graders present a project in November of last year about cultures that helped shape the world. Andersen was one of the six Chandler Unified schools to earn an ‘A-Plus’ honor this year from the Arizona Educational Foundation.
The Arizona Educational Foundation has announced its 2026 “A-Plus Schools of Excellence” winners, with the Chandler Unified School District achieving a historic milestone with the program.
Six CUSD schools earned the prestigious honor simultaneously, representing 12% of all AEF recognitions awarded statewide this year, according to a news release.
The 2026 CUSD A-PLus Schools of Excellence are Andersen, Conley, Haley and Navarrete elementary schools, Knox Gifted Academy and Chandler High School.
These latest additions, the release state, mean CUSD schools have now received this prestigious honor more than 110 times, across all sites, through the years of the program.
Since 1983, the Foundation’s A-Plus School of Excellenc program has served as its highest honor for public schools.
Unlike traditional letter grades that focus primarily on test scores, the release states, the A-Plus designation involves a comprehensive “report card” of a school’s entire ecosystem.
To earn the award, the release states, schools must demonstrate these elements:
• Superior Instruction: Providing high-quality, ability-appropriate learning.
• Exceptional Climate: Creating safe, learner-focused environments and holistic care for student needs.
• Innovation: Supporting teacher-led instruction and responsiveness to the evolving educational landscape.
• Community Integration: Strong partnerships with families and local stakeholders.
Originally designed to identify candidates for the U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon Schools Award, the A-Plus program has evolved into a framework for exemplary school self-assessment, the release states.
Winning schools serve as models for other educators across the state, boosting public confidence and fostering stronger community involvement, CUSD states.
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