By Madeline Bates
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Kyrene School officials Rebecca Bolnick, director of accountability and performance and Christie McDougall, director of assessment and student outcomes, recently presented to the board the beginning and middle of year literacy, math and belonging scores based on DIBELS assessments and recorded surveys. 

Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills is an assessment program required by Congress to test students for basic understanding of literacy and math skills.

The board was impressed to see growth, but many were also concerned with the gaps of student success.

“Congratulations on getting 49% of middle schoolers to feel like they belong to anything,” said board member Bunny Davis.

Sense of belonging is measured using their relationships, day-to-day experiences and how willing and excited each student is to go to school, Sandra Laine, Kyrene district administrator, explained.

For others, the gaps between math and literacy took over the conversation.

“Math was always a struggle for me, and I had to spend a significant amount of my summers doing math radiation because my parents put me in to succeed,” said Trine Nelson, board president.

She and others were concerned about the middle school scores not meeting baseline passing to ensure high school readiness.

Kyrene currently does not offer a summer academy, as the summer is limited to six weeks from late May to July.

Laine also said teacher availability and family interest have deteriorated throughout the years, leading the district to eliminate it.

McDougall argued that students shouldn’t have to go to school more or longer and that the resources that the school has could be used to improve scores.

“We should be providing these supports to students within the school day and should be using our data and resources to do that,” McDougall said.

Vice President Amy Satre was also concerned with high school readiness and the board and other school administrators agreed that the implementation of literacy readiness to mitigate the loss from COVID could start at the elementary and middle school levels to prepare for high school.

“I think it’s really important that we meet students where they are, and I think we keep exploring those opportunities to reach these goals,” said Satre.

To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Madeline Bates
Reporter | Tempe/East Phoenix

mbates@iniusa.org

Meet Madeline

Madeline Bates joined Independent Newsmedia in 2025 as a Phoenix/Tempe reporter. Before graduating college, she spent a semester in Washington as a Congressional reporter in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. But local news is where her heart is. She is excited to be in Phoenix full time and exploring new parts of the city (as long as they have AC).  

Community: After living in East Phoenix for two years, she fell in love with Paradise Valley, Mesa, Tempe, and everywhere in between. She recently discovered the beauty of the South Mountain Reserve and hopes to continue exploring should the weather comply.

Education: Madeline has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and a certificate in Political History and Leadership.

Random Fact: She is a self-taught nail tech. No, she cannot do your nails.

Hobbies: Hiking (when its not 100 degrees), fiction writing, cooking, baking and trying new coffee shops.