PVSchools superintendent targets higher school grades, reading and career readiness
Screenshot/PVSchools
The Paradise Valley Unified School District Governing Board unanimously approves Superintendent Dan Courson’s goals and objectives for the 2026-27 school year during its Sept. 3 meeting.
Paradise Valley Unified School District will pursue higher school ratings, stronger early literacy and expanded career pathways under a new set of goals approved unanimously for Superintendent Dan Courson.
The governing board approved Courson’s 2026-27 goals Sept. 3 after reviewing earlier versions during study sessions in June and August.
The most prominent academic target calls for every PVSchools campus to either maintain an A rating or improve by at least one letter grade when the state releases accountability results for the 2026-27 school year.
“These goals establish the areas in which I will focus my leadership and provide clear measures by which the governing board can evaluate progress,” Courson said. “They are intended to be ambitious, measurable and aligned with the district’s most important priorities.”
The goals are organized around academic excellence, growth and sustainability, student success and future readiness, as well as people and culture.
Under the academic plan, individual schools will be expected to increase the percentage of students scoring proficient or highly proficient in English language arts and mathematics while reducing the share scoring minimally proficient.
English learners
The district intends to increase the percentage of English learners who attain proficiency and are reclassified, with the goal of exceeding Arizona’s statewide reclassification rate by the end of the school year.
“Academic excellence remains central to these goals,” Courson said. “Our first outcome is to advance every school toward an A rating by improving student proficiency and reducing the percentage of students performing at minimally proficient levels in English language arts and mathematics.”
Board member Sandra Christensen said she appreciated that academic excellence was listed first and that the plan included measurable results rather than a general statement of intent.
“We have great programs, teachers are wonderful, but they want to see us have all our students be at academic excellence and proficiency in each grade level,” Christensen said of the feedback board members have received from the community.
She said improving academic performance could also help PVSchools attract families back to the district and better prepare students for their next educational steps.
The plan’s second academic outcome focuses on preparing students for college, careers and community involvement. Schools will seek to increase participation in advanced academics, service, leadership, career exploration and other learning opportunities from preschool through 12th grade.
The district wants more high school students earning 10, 20 or 22 indicator points and fewer students finishing with no points.
PVSchools also plans to identify academy pathways at each of its five comprehensive high schools for implementation during the 2027-28 school year. Those academies could give students more structured opportunities to pursue career fields and industry-recognized credentials before graduation.
Early literacy
Early literacy is the plan’s third academic outcome. Each elementary school will be expected to increase the percentage of K-3 students reading at or above benchmark while reducing the percentage performing well below benchmark, as measured by the Acadience assessment.
Although the formal measurement begins in kindergarten, governing board member Amanda Lim said the district’s inclusion of preschool in its broader literacy pipeline is significant.
“I’ve seen firsthand what early intervention can do, and it can set a student ahead of the curve, or at least get them back on the curve,” Lim said. “That can make all the difference when they reach kindergarten.”
The remaining goals address challenges that can influence whether the district can sustain its academic improvements.
Courson is expected to develop short- and long-term enrollment, programming and school-planning strategies intended to attract and retain families. He will also identify strategies for recruiting, developing and retaining educators, support employees and district leaders.
Communication goals
The goals establish new expectations for communication between the superintendent and board. Board members are to receive timely background information, supporting data, primary-source materials and opportunities to ask questions before significant decisions.
Courson is also charged with leading the development of a new district strategic plan. The process will include students, employees, parents and community members and consider academic data, demographic changes, research and future forecasts.
A proposed plan, including measurable performance indicators and clearly defined responsibilities, is expected to reach the Governing Board by April 2027.
“These goals provide a clear and measurable framework for my work during the coming year,” Courson said.
Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Meet Stacy Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
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