MUSD to implement advanced learning program

The Maricopa Unified School District governing board heard a proposal Wednesday to implement an accelerated learning program throughout its elementary school levels. 

Known as the Maricopa Accelerated Program, the program will be implemented in kindergarten at Saddleback Elementary School in July 2022 at the beginning of the next school year.  

MUSD Director of Academic Services Sheryl Rednor said registration for the accelerated program will begin Feb. 15 and will include a detailed parent orientation prior to the beginning of the school year to clearly outline the expectations of the program for parents. The program will add a grade for each of the next five years until it is implemented in all elementary grades by the 2027-28 school year.  

“This program provides the opportunities for students to learn at a faster pace, a year above grade level,” Rednor said. “They will be taught Arizona state standards utilizing district-adopted materials, curriculum and methodologies.” 

Rednor said that as with all of MUSD’s signature programs, parents have a choice to enroll and can utilize the open enrollment process to do so even if they are not zoned for attendance at Saddleback. Dr. Marchelle Hasan, the principal at Saddleback, and her staff will meet with families to clearly communicate the expectations of the program.  

Rednor added that the district will offer interventions throughout the year to help students succeed, such as before and after school tutoring, math boot camp and phonics instruction. “We want to be sure our students are successful as this will be a highly rigorous program,” Rednor said.  

Rednor said that the district’s current preschool data show that 79% of preschool students were at or above benchmarks just halfway through the school year. “That’s really a celebration of the work that’s happening in our current preschools, and we are confident that these students will be ready for this accelerated program.” 

Governing board member AnnaMarie Knorr sees the program as a game-changer. 

“I think this is going to be very popular,” she said. “Thank you to our staff for providing this opportunity for the students of Maricopa. And the benchmark data, I’ve got chills. The community pre-school that Dr. (Tracey) Lopeman and her staff have put in place is going to change our schools.” 

District Superintendent Dr. Tracey Lopeman said the program reflects the district’s push to increase standards  

“It’s kind of a bookend, sort of right where we have the AP Capstone in mind when we develop these programs,” said Lopeman, referencing a presentation earlier in the meeting about the success of Maricopa High School’s Advanced Placement Capstone program. 

Children will undergo an assessment prior to entering the program to determine their level of competency. A screener will work with Hasan and her staff to evaluate the students, and those who may need skills enhancement will receive it prior to entering the program. 

There will not be a cap on the number of students in the program. 

“I think it’s exciting,” said board member Torri Anderson. “It’s something I know we’ve been talking about for what seems like 10 years, what our students are capable of and to be able to actually provide this opportunity for them is exciting for me.”