Tucson Unified’s Wheeler Elementary is the latest school in Arizona to get out of “School Improvement” status – a celebratory occasion that brought State Superintendent Tom Horne down to Tucson on Thursday, November 20 to present an award to the school.
The State Superintendent’s office oversees Project Momentum, a school support and improvement program committed to help educators do the right work to ensure that all students succeed. Wheeler is one of 108 schools statewide that have made it out of the School Improvement.
The School Improvement status is conferred when a school needs to raise its academic performance based on federal student accountability measures. States are required to identify and intervene in the lowest five percent of Title I schools and other schools that consistently underperform. Schools must follow an improvement plan using evidence-based strategies.
During Thursday’s celebration, Horne was greeted by Wheeler’s violin students. After the performance, Horne, as well as Tucson Unified Superintendent Dr. Gabriel Trujillo, gave a speech and presented Wheeler Principal Rosalinda Rodriguez with a certificate.
