##### *2006-2007 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program*

*U.S. Department of Education*

**Cover Sheet** Type of School: \[ X \] Elementary \[ \] Middle \[ \]
High \[ \] K-12 \[ X \] Charter

Name of Principal [Mr. Gregory A. Miller]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the
official records)

Official School Name [Challenge Charter School]{.underline}

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address\_\_\_\_\_[5801 W. Greenbriar Dr.]{.underline}
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address.)

\_\_[Glendale]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_[AZ]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_[85308
-3847]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

County
\_\_[Maricopa]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_State
School Code Number\*\_\_\_[07-87-72-001]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Telephone [( 602 ) 938-5411]{.underline} Fax [( 602 ) 938-5393
\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline}

Web site/URL [www.challengecharterschool.net]{.underline} E-mail
\_\_[gmiller@challengecharterschool.net]{.underline}

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge all information is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(Principal's Signature)

Name of CEO\* [Mr. Gregory A. Miller]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

District Name [Challenge School, Inc: a Non-profit 501(C)3)
organization]{.underline} Tel. [( 602 ) 938-5411]{.underline}

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ (CEO's
Signature)

Name of School Board

President/Chairperson \_\_\_\_[Mrs. Pamela A. Miller
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(School Board President's/Chairperson's Signature)

**PART I ‑ ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION**

The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each
of the statements below concerning the school's eligibility and
compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
(OCR) requirements is true and correct.

1.  The school has some configuration that includes grades K-12.
    (Schools on the same campus with one principal, even K-12 schools,
    must apply as an entire school.)

2.  The school has made adequate yearly progress each year for the past
    two years and has not been identified by the state as "persistently
    dangerous" within the last two years. To meet final eligibility, the
    school must meet the state's adequate yearly progress requirement in
    the 2006-2007 school year.

3.  If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it has foreign language
    as a part of its core curriculum.

4.  The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from
    at least September 2001 and has not received the No Child Left
    Behind -- Blue Ribbon Schools award in the past five years.

5.  The nominated school or district is not refusing OCR access to
    information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to
    conduct a district‑wide compliance review.

6.  OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school
    district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a
    whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A
    violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if
    OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to
    remedy the violation.

7.  The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging
    that the nominated school or the school district as a whole has
    violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the
    Constitution's equal protection clause.

8.  There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with
    Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education
    monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in
    question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has
    corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.

**PART II ‑ DEMOGRAPHIC DATA**

**All data are the most recent year available.**

**DISTRICT**

1\. Number of schools in the district: \_\_1\_\_ Elementary schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Middle schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Junior high schools

\_\_\_\_\_ High schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Other

\_\_1\_\_\_ TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: \_\$6,367.00\_\_\_\_

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: \_≈\$8,500.00\_\_\_

**SCHOOL**

3\. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:

> \[ \] Urban or large central city
>
> \[X \] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
>
> \[ \] Suburban
>
> \[ \] Small city or town in a rural area
>
> \[ \] Rural

4\. [11]{.underline} Number of years the principal has been in her/his
position at this school.

N/A If fewer than three years, how long was the previous principal at
this school?

5\. Number of students as of October 1 enrolled at each grade level or
its equivalent in applying school only:

  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------
  **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of                **Grade      **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of     **Grade
              Males**   Females**              Total**                  Males**   Females**   Total**

  **PreK**    N/A       N/A                    **N/A**      **7**       N/A       N/A         N/A

  **K**       47        55                     **102**      **8**       N/A       N/A         N/A

  **1**       47        61                     **108**      **9**       N/A       N/A         N/A

  **2**       59        49                     **108**      **10**      N/A       N/A         N/A

  **3**       45        54                     **99**       **11**      N/A       N/A         N/A

  **4**       38        41                     **79**       **12**      N/A       N/A         N/A

  **5**       41        31                     **72**       **Other**   N/A       N/A         N/A

  **6**       29        24                     **53**                                         

                                    **TOTAL                                                   621
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL**                                                  
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [70]{.underline} % White

the school: [6]{.underline} % Black or African American

[15]{.underline} % Hispanic or Latino

[8]{.underline} % Asian/Pacific Islander

[1]{.underline} % American Indian/Alaskan Native

**100% Total**

7\. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year:
\_\_8\_\_\_%

  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------
  **(1)**                   Number of students who      10
                            transferred ***to*** the    
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year   

  **(2)**                   Number of students who      38
                            transferred ***from*** the  
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year   

  **(3)**                   Total of all transferred    48
                            students \[sum of rows (1)  
                            and (2)\]                   

  **(4)**                   Total number of students in 621
                            the school as of October 1  

  **(5)**                   Total transferred students  .077
                            in row (3) divided by total 
                            students in row (4)         

  **(6)**                   Amount in row (5)           8
                            multiplied by 100           
  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school: \_\_\_3\_\_\_\_%

\_\_\_16\_\_\_\_Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented: \_\_\_7\_\_\_\_\_

Specify languages: Arabic, Mandarin, Romanian, Russian, Spanish,
Vietnamese, & Other

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals:
\_\_\_30.4\*\_\_\_\_%

Total number students who qualify: \_\_\_188\*\_\_\_\_\_

\*Challenge Charter School participates in the free/reduced meals
program and these numbers are based on student eligibility and
participation in the program for the 2005-2006 school year in its
entirety. Eligibility and students' participation in the free/reduced
program fluctuates throughout the year. Therefore, our low-income
student population is most accurately represented by the cumulative
numbers of the most recent, complete school year.

10\. Students receiving special education services: \_\_\_\_7\_\_\_\_%

\_\_\_\_46\*\_\_\_\_Total Number of Students Served

> Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to
> conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education
> Act. Do not add additional categories.

\_\_\_\_Autism \_\_3_Orthopedic Impairment

\_\_\_\_Deafness \_\_\_\_Other Health Impaired

\_\_\_\_Deaf-Blindness \_\_9_Specific Learning Disability

\_\_1_Emotional Disturbance \_38_Speech or Language Impairment

\_\_\_\_Hearing Impairment \_\_\_\_Traumatic Brain Injury

> \_\_\_\_Mental Retardation \_\_\_\_Visual Impairment Including
> Blindness
>
> \_\_\_\_Multiple Disabilities

\*The total number served (46) is less than the number of conditions
given (51). This is because some of the students served have more than
one condition. All of these students receive all of the needed special
education services to accommodate all stated conditions.

11. Indicate number of full‑time and part‑time staff members in each of
    the categories below:

    **Number of Staff**

**[Full-time]{.underline}** **[Part-Time]{.underline}**

Administrator(s) \_\_\_3\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_0\_\_\_\_

Classroom teachers \_\_\_27\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_1\_\_\_\_

Special resource teachers/specialists \_\_\_7\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_1\_\_\_\_

Paraprofessionals \_\_\_2\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_1\_\_\_\_

> Support staff \_\_\_11\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_3\_\_\_\_
>
> Total number \_\_\_50\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_6\_\_\_\_

12. Average school student-classroom teacher ratio, that is, the number
    of

students in the school divided by the FTE of classroom teachers: \_\_23
: 1\_\_

13\. Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a
percentage. Also explain a high teacher turnover rate.

  ------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                            2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Daily student attendance  96%         95%         96%         97%         95%

  Daily teacher attendance  97%         98%         97%         96%         97%

  Teacher turnover rate     15\*%       7%          10%         11%         5%
  ------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

\* Merit pay and contract renewals are based on accountability. Teachers
are evaluated on performance each year as defined in two areas: 1.)
Class-wide student academic performance that ensures no student is left
behind, & 2.) Participation as a positive team member and school
support. Many tools and resources are provided by Challenge to help any
willing teacher reach these goals such as clear expectations, resources,
mentoring and abundant on/off-site development opportunities. Some of
the evaluations used to determine those teachers in need of intervention
include the results of pre/post assessments for their class, classroom
observations, and their own request for such assistance. Teachers who
remain unresponsive to the resources provided and continue to lack
student performance accountability are not asked back. There is also the
normal movement of employees, i.e.: Motherhood, left state, went back to
school, or took another job.

**PART III -- SUMMARY**

Challenge Charter School (CCS) was founded in 1996 by Mr. Greg Miller
and his wife, Mrs. Pam Miller. as the 1^st^ official Core Knowledge
School in Arizona. Challenge currently serves over 600 students,
Kindergarten thru 6^th^ grade, and is an ***Excelling*** School as
defined by the Arizona Department of Educations' AZ Learns Academic
Profile. The school is honored to have been nominated for the *No Child
Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program*. Such outstanding student
accomplishments have been facilitated under strong and consistent
leadership willing to implement the School's core founding principles,
philosophies, and policies each day based on a foundation of
accountability as seen through student accomplishment and parent
satisfaction. First and foremost, every member of the Challenge Team
shares an enthusiasm, dedication, and visionary mission to put our kids
first!

The school\'s goal is to provide the best possible education for all
students in our care. This is reflected in their self-confidence,
socialization abilities, citizenship and academic accomplishments. Our
approach to these goals is through a hands-on strong education in the
basics, well-rounded enrichments, and challenging applications of
content-rich learning including a science and technology oriented
academic core curriculum. The environment is structured to optimize each
student\'s opportunities so that all students will acquire a first-class
education to prepare them for success in the lifelong learning process.

Challenge follows our overall mission by pursuing several specific goals
including: exciting students about learning so that they not only want
to be at school but want to fully participate in their education;
challenging each student to achieve his/her true potential; removing
health-related obstacles which prevent children from learning (Challenge
is a chemical free, environmentally friendly campus); providing a
learning environment structure that strengthens each student's life with
a positive role model: the teacher; a teacher selection and professional
development process that provides for the highest quality of teachers;
integration with parents and families, the business community, and the
rest of the community; preparing students with life skills and work
capabilities (including team working skills); serving as an information
center for other educational environments; and reducing corrective
discipline by building stronger teacher/student relationships and
emphasizing self-control and self-discipline.

Challenge's relationship with parents is vital to student success.
Parents are involved at every level serving on the School Advisory
Council, volunteering in classrooms, eating lunch with their students on
campus, attending Family Night events, or chaperoning one of 7-8 field
trips attended by each class yearly. Parents have been involved in
reviewing and drafting school policy, such as the uniform policy that
was enacted by parents based on parent request and vote. Excellent
communication is maintained with an interactive and up-to-date school
webpage as well as daily, weekly, and monthly communication sent home on
student performance and school happenings. Teacher's have contract time
at the start/end of each day devoted to parent interaction.

Administration has an open-door policy for both staff and parents and
the school's leadership meets with parents monthly at our School
Advisory Council/Parent Group meeting. Prior to enrollment, as a school
of choice, Challenge offers interested parents the opportunity to meet
the Principal and Founder, tour the facilities, and receive information
on our mission, environment, and curriculum. They are encouraged to
review all school policies and provided individual time to answer all
questions. Upon enrollment, the parent-school compact is signed and
establishes the collaborative relationship between home and school.

Moral values held in high esteem help provide for outstanding
citizenship, experienced leaders, and a structured learning environment.
Our curriculum includes moral values that have been recognized as
essential by all cultures, independent of age or location. The school
emphasizes the role of self-discipline, honesty, integrity, faith, work
ethic, and other widely accepted moral values defined by our society as
essential to the survival of our culture, thereby creating a more secure
and positive civic responsibly in our students.

**PART IV -- INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS**

**1. Assessment Results:** Arizona uses a "dual" accountability system
statewide for all public schools applying both NCLB Adequate Yearly
Progress (AYP) requirements and a longitudinal examination of student
performance, called AZ LEARNS based on each school's Arizona Instrument
to Measure Standards (AIMS) results, Measure of Academic Performance
(MAP), Graduation/Dropout rates, and AYP. AZ LEARNS focuses on
performance growth across all student groups for more than one year and
schools are given a label annually in one of five categories:
*Underperforming*, *Performing*, *Performing Plus*, *Highly Performing*,
and *Excelling*. A school meets the standard with a label of
*Performing* or higher. Challenge Charter School is in the top 10% of
all elementary schools in Arizona based on reaching the highest
achievement level possible: ***Excelling.*** The state data and the
school report card are available at the Arizona Department of
Education's web-site: [www.ade.state.az.us](http://www.ade.state.az.us/)
.

The Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) is our State's
Mastery assessment. This annual assessment is given in mid-April each
year, along with a "norm-referenced" assessment tool. Challenge Charter
School students have a mastery level that is between 30% and 65% above
the State average in all grades and subject areas evaluated by AIMS. On
the norm-referenced testing our students are all in the top third (66
percentile and above) of those taking the exams as compared to the
national norm of 50%.

The assessment process here at Challenge Charter School is an integrated
program of daily, weekly monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, semi-annual,
and annual assessments of several different types to ensure correct
student placement; instruction; and growth. This program is used for
every student and grade level starting the first day of school. With
basically the same population and demographics, we have seen this
approach raise student and school performance on the "norm-reference
tests" by over 72% in Reading; 200% in Math; and 130% in Language Arts,
since the end of our first year in 1997, and have eliminated the GAP in
subgroup results.

The major tools used include:

-   Northwestern Evaluation Association's assessment tool (NWEA) that is
    aligned to Arizona's standards

-   DIBBLE tests are used at least three times a year, but for
    struggling students they are used much more frequently to assess for
    major mile stones in reading fluency and comprehension

-   We have believed in pre & post testing since our inception and not
    with just the state mandated 2 thru 6 grades levels. We have been
    assessing our Kindergartners and 1^st^ graders with the state
    norm-reference assessment tool, whether it was the SAT-9 or the
    current TerraNova exam, both in the beginning of the year & at the
    end of the year.

We now use the NWEA assessment as our 1^st^ of the year assessment for
all grades. Since 2000 we have also assessed our students with the
Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) as all public schools are
required to do.

In addition to the above our teachers also use unit and progress testing
and evaluations of major project work, presentations, and chapter
testing. We utilize a portfolio assessment of student work and progress
both through the year and from year to year.

**2. Using Assessment Results:** Challenge has an extensive assessment
system allowing the availability of much data. Faculty is provided
in-service training each year and mentoring on how to review and apply
assessment results to improve classroom effectiveness and ensure that
none of their students are left behind or left unchallenged due to
advanced needs.

At the end of each year, the current grade team reviews all portfolio
material, including both student work and all assessment results, to
make recommendations to the following year's grade teachers. This
commitment and expectation of constant re-evaluation of student data
also led school leadership to implement a school-wide schedule that
allows each grade level team a planning day together each 6 days. The
grade teams use this time for many different tasks, but the primary one
is to use the data of individual student performance/indicated areas of
standard's weakness, to define right down to strand & performance
objectives in their lesson planning for the next week. This constant
review of student achievement provides for the most flexible lesson
planning to ensure students get every opportunity to succeed. We have an
aggressive reading program from Kindergarten thru second grade, based on
assessment results, and formulated into six week, small group sessions.

Students at every grade level are identified for interventions and to
work in small groups or individually with highly qualified instructional
assistants, the classroom teacher, or special services staff. These
groups are separate from and in addition to the high quality traditional
special services being provided to those students who qualify. Students
are identified for these intervention programs based on assessment
results and teacher observation. These resources are focused on reading,
comprehension, math, and even social skills.

All of these tools provide us with an evaluation of current year and
year to year progress of each of our students and also the classroom
teacher's effectiveness. The results over the last 11 years have been
extraordinary.

**3. Communicating Assessment Results:** Challenge Charter School has
always made our students, their families, and our community aware of our
current school performance and what those results mean in a larger
context. The way this has been done includes:

-   School newsletters and *Assessment Notification Flyers* to all homes
    upon receipt of State Mandated assessment results

-   Parent meetings held monthly during the school year.

-   New parent information meetings held each year.

-   Posted on our website

-   Posted on our office bulletin board.

-   In almost all of the informational material provided to both
    existing and potential new families about the school.

-   Challenge has several community partners. One of which is the local
    McDonalds. They post our monthly newsletter on the dinning room
    bulletin board each month, along with any special announcements that
    are sent out.

Individual student results are provided and discussed during
Parent/Teacher conferences. In addition to the two required for each
school year, both the Teacher &/or Parent can request a conference at
any time. Also, yearly state assessment results are mailed to each
student\'s parents upon receipt.

A priority in all communication of our assessment results is that they
are in a format that can be easily understood by all and gives a measure
in relationship to State and national norms. For example, below is a
sample of the way we share the results with our community providing our
own results, the overall State Averages (State) & the statewide charter
school averages (CS):

**AIMS RESULTS -- SPRING 2006 -- THIRD GRADE**

**[3^rd^ Grade]{.underline} [CCS]{.underline} [State]{.underline}
[CS]{.underline}**

######## Writing 86% 52% 55%

Reading 91% 67% 72%

Math 94% 72% 74%

**4. Sharing Success:** Challenge is an Official Core Knowledge School.
As such, we share our approach and successes in several different ways.
Our teachers, in the last seven years, have applied for and been
selected over 40 times to make lesson presentations to other educators
at the annual conference of the Core Knowledge Foundation. When the
conference was held in Phoenix in 2003, our school was a visitation site
for the 2500 teachers that attended the conference.

Several of our Master Teachers have been asked and served on the
Curriculum Committees formulated by the Arizona State Department of
Educations to establish the State Standards in both Science and Social
Studies. That work lasted for nearly two years.

CCS Principal Miller, as a representative of the school, was selected by
the Arizona Business and Education Coalition, Arizona State University,
and the Wallace Leadership Group as one of the top 1% of all principals
in the state and was one of only seventeen inducted into the *Circle of
Honor*. As such, he also committed to provide significant mentoring and
program development time to the Arizona education community at large.
Challenge has also been asked, and accepted, opportunities to present
our instructional model and curricular approach at the University level
for students in Education Programs.

Principal Miller and co-founder/Executive Director, Mrs. Miller, have
remained active in the Arizona political process to ensure the rights of
students and parental choice are protected and fostered. Mrs. Miller
served as a member of the Governing Board of Paradise Valley United
School District for two four year terms, holding Board Offices of
President & Clerk. Mr. Miller has been involved in initiating
bills/State law, one of which provided for a charter operator to sit the
State Charter School Board and eventually evoked an Arizona
constitutional change allowing a charter representative to also sit on
the Arizona State Board of Education. He serves on many committees and
advisory councils including being invited to represent school choice on
the State Superintendent of Education's District Superintendent's
Advisory Committee.

Mr. & Mrs. Miller have been active in student advocacy throughout their
lives and active at a national level since the inception of the school
choice movement. This year, the Washington D.C. based organization, the
Center for Education Reform (CER) recognized Principal Miller at their
13^th^ Anniversary event as one of only 13 *National School Leaders Who
Perform*.

**PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION**

**1. Curriculum:** Challenge Charter School is the first Official Core
Knowledge School in Arizona, and uses the Core Knowledge Sequence as our
curriculum base. It was written by hundreds of teachers concerned about
the approach to literacy in our common schools, and edited by E.D.
Hirsch, the author of *[Cultural Literacy,]{.underline}* and *[The
Schools We Need and Why We Don't Have Them]{.underline}*.

*The Core Knowledge Sequence is:*

-   *Solid* - includes the basic principals of constitutional
    government, important events in world history, essential elements of
    mathematics and the oral and written expression, widely acknowledged
    masterpieces of art and music, and poems and stories passed down
    from generation to generation.

-   *Sequenced* -- by providing a clear outline of content to be learned
    grade by grade. This sequential building of knowledge helps ensure
    that children enter each new grade ready to learn and prevents the
    repetition and gaps that characterize much of current schooling.

-   *Specific* -- Clearly specifying important knowledge in language
    arts, history and geography, math science, and the fine arts the
    C*ore Knowledge Sequence* answers the question "What do our children
    need to know?" Our character education program is built right into
    our literature used as part of our language arts program. This
    program *Core Virtues,* developed by Mary Beth Klee, this program
    includes such important virtues as Honesty, Courage, Faith, Charity,
    Self-Control, Forgiveness, Justice, and twenty other major virtues.

-   *Shared* -- Literacy depends on shared knowledge. To be literate
    means, in part, to be familiar with a broad range of knowledge taken
    for granted by society. One major goal is to provide all children,
    regardless of background, with the shared knowledge they need to
    take part in our national literate culture.

We have built from the base, aligned the *Sequence* with the Arizona
State Standards, created monthly curriculum calendars and integrated a
Science & Technology overlay into the *Core Knowledge Sequence*. In
addition we have also integrated Spanish, Art, Technological, and Music
instruction into the *Sequence.* Examples: A Civil War unit (2^nd^ &
5^th^ grades) would also include: presentations by students supported by
Power Point (technology); could include medical practices on the battle
fields (Science); review music and cultural events (fine arts); foreign
support of each of the combatants would provide opportunity to use
foreign language (currently Spanish). Our entire program is available
for all children in every grade, Kindergarten thru sixth, which attend
this school.

We also provide a full Physical Education program, and supplement our
music instruction with introduction of instruments and performance
support by using the Phoenix Conservatory of Music. Both of these
programs have major elements that are integrated into the *Sequence.*
The benefits of *Core Knowledge* include:

1.  *For Children:*

-   Provides a broad base of knowledge and a rich vocabulary

-   Motivates students to learn and creates a strong desire to learn
    more

-   Provides the knowledge necessary for higher levels of leaving and
    helps build confidence

-   Provides strong foundation of knowledge for success in high school
    and beyond

-   Decreases learning gaps caused by mobility

2.  *For the School:*

    -   Provides an academic focus and encourages consistency in
        instruction

    -   Provides a plan for coherent, sequenced learning from grade to
        grade

    -   Provides a community of learners -- adults and children

    -   Becomes an effective tool for lesson planning and communication
        among teachers and with parents

    -   Guides thoughtful purchases of school resources

    -   Provides a common focus to show knowledge and expertise

    -   Encourages cooperation among schools to provide quality learning
        experiences for all students

3.  *For Parents and the Community:*

    -   Provides a clear outline of what children are expected to learn
        in school

    -   Encourages parents to participate in their children's education
        both at home and in school

    -   Provides opportunities for community members to help obtain and
        provide instructional resources

**2. Reading:** The two main components of our school's reading
instruction include the use of the Core Knowledge Sequence and the
Literacy Place series from Scholastic Inc. Scholastic's Literacy Place
program was chosen because it incorporates the five key components of
reading including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary
development, and comprehension. These five components are practiced on a
daily basis through the introduction to and reading of a variety of
stories from different genres. The program helps students to develop
grade level reading skills as well as incorporates writing workshops to
practice writing that starts through reading. Scholastic's Literacy
Place program includes weekly and end of unit tests to provide teachers
with ongoing data that can be used to inform their instruction.

The Core Knowledge curriculum also has a strong emphasis on phonemic
awareness and phonics instruction as well as comprehension. However, the
Core Knowledge Sequence also identifies a set of specific fictional
stories and poetry to be used at each grade level. This provides
students with a solid foundation of literary works that have been shared
from generation to generation and are considered necessary for students
to be considered literate when it comes to our national and world
culture. The Core Knowledge Sequence includes content rich units of
study in other curriculum areas (science, social studies, etc.). These
topics allow teachers to further develop reading and vocabulary skills
through the use of quality, informational texts.

A final piece of our schools reading program is the use of DIBELS (The
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills). Teachers have been
trained to use DIBELS to assess students' early literacy skills and
later development of oral reading fluency. These assessments are
essential and have been adopted because they provide teachers with the
ability to reliably predict students' level of future reading success
and intervene to help avoid reading difficulties and the development of
non-readers. All of these programs provide our students with a well
rounded curriculum that ensures that they are provided with the skills
necessary to become literate, in every sense of the word.

**3. Science and Technology:** As per our charter document that was
created as a part of the school's inception, a main focus of our
curriculum is on Science and Technology. The world changes at a rapid
pace because of new advances in these areas, and part of the school's
mission is to help students learn, at an early age, the role that
Science and Technology will have in their lives. Teachers use the Core
Knowledge Sequence as their main curriculum guide. This sequence
identifies specific science topics that are taught at each grade level.
The topics are intended to provide students with a base of solid science
information that will serve as a foundation to support their own science
inquiries as well as develop the ground work that will ensure students
can intelligently interact with a society that assumes at least a basic
understanding of the information.

Topics are introduced at their basic level in one grade and then are
continuously built upon through subsequent more in-depth studies at
future grade levels. For example, in kindergarten, students are
introduced to the parts of a plant, in second grade, students build on
this knowledge through the study of a plant's life cycle and in fifth
grade, students are ready for an in depth look at plant reproduction.
This curriculum encourages students to develop basic skills by providing
unending opportunities for hands-on research and inquiry, investigations
and problem solving as well as the development of clear communication
and writing skills, which are used to verbalize questions, explain
results, and defend theories.

Technology skills go hand in hand with the science piece of our
curriculum. Students are taught, as early as kindergarten and first
grade, basic computer skills including the parts of a computer,
keyboarding skills, and how to access and use information from
appropriate websites. As soon as second grade, students are taught how
to use key computer programs including Microsoft Excel, to create graphs
and charts to organize information they get from their own experiments
and data collection, and Power Point, which they use to create
presentations. By the older grades, the familiarity with technology has
allowed for more complex, long term projects including creating their
own web sites to share the information they have learned about specific
science topics. The same integrated approach is also used to include
other special areas of content to include: Fine Arts; Music; Foreign
Language; and Physical Education.

**4. Instructional Methods:** Teachers at Challenge Charter School use a
variety of instructional strategies to ensure that the content and
skills that are introduced are accessible to every learner. Due to the
need to differentiate instruction for a variety of learners,
cooperative, group learning is one of our most important instructional
strategies. In reading for example, students are provided instruction as
a whole group, but they are also often placed with other students at
their achievement level to create an environment that allows teachers to
focus their instruction at a specific set of target skills based on each
group's need.

Another instructional strategy that is used is a hands-on teaching
approach. We believe that students who are actively engaged in their own
learning will come away with a better understanding of the material, as
well as a continued desire to further their study. This approach also
provides students with the opportunities to use their knowledge in
real-life circumstances and makes what they learn relevant. Some
examples of this hands-on approach include science experiments, playing
games, the use of manipulatives to problem solve in Math, or even the
completion of projects which require students to use household objects
to create models.

Teacher modeling is another strategy used to introduce and practice the
use of specific skills, for example to show reading fluency. Students
are provided with quality modeling through the teacher's oral reading.
This helps students hear and identify the key components necessary for
success, in this instance, the use of inflection, appropriate diction,
and pausing, etc. Then they are given opportunities to practice what has
been modeled. To further our desire to expose students to a variety of
technology, another instructional strategy includes the use of videos
and computer assisted instruction. The school has created a large
resource library that includes quality, engaging videos that can be used
as a means to add to the direct instruction of the teacher. This allows
students access to information using another tool. Students are also
provided with on-going opportunities to access and develop their own
knowledge base through the investigation of internet based material.

**5. Professional Development:** Challenge has always felt that the need
for professional development and career enhancement are bedrock issues
for successful long term results in both teacher satisfaction and
student performance. From the beginning we incorporated seven to ten
days a year of In-Service inside our teachers' contracts. These are full
in-service days rather than being attached to the second half of a
shortened instructional day. We have always seen that time as "our
time", and protected it so no teacher was sitting there thinking "I have
already had the kids for the day; I'm tired; when is this 'stuff' going
to be over?"

Our Master Teachers have always been a major part of the planning and
agenda development as defined by staff needs to meet the goals of
student achievement. These professional development days have included
items such as: Special Education in their classroom; Writing across the
curriculum; Six traits of writing; FERPA; Highly Qualified teacher
requirements & training; How to use student data; OSHA/Stress
Management; 7 traits of highly successful people; Technology: use of
both hardware & software; ADE's internet resource tree: access &
utilization; CPR & First Aide; and the list goes on.

As were grew and additional resources were identified we have expanded
that support beyond the seven to ten days of in-service requirement. We
have an Educational Reimbursement Policy that pays 50% of our teacher's
tuition & books for their Master in Education degree, and we are
constantly looking for business partners to help pay the other half. We
have provided 22 teachers this support since we started the program in
1999.

We have sent 40 teachers to the week long Core Knowledge Foundation's
annual conferences since 1999, and paid all their expenses. This
conference has been held around the country including Atlanta, Boston,
Washington DC, Philadelphia, Orange County - CA, Nashville, etc. We have
sent 30 teachers over the last two years to a week long conference on
Differentiated Instruction; and we send our Kindergarten team of seven,
to the California Kindergarten Quality Conference yearly. They chose
California's conference because the feel it is one of the best in the
country.

**PART VII - ASSESSMENT RESULTS**

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------------------
  **Subject:**    **Grade:** Third    **Test:**        
  Math                                Arizona's        
                                      Instrument to    
                                      Measure          
                                      Standards (AIMS) 

  **Edition /\    AIMS DPA (2005 --   **Publisher:**   CTB/McGraw-Hill (2005 -
  Publication     2006)\                               2006) &\
  Year:**         AIMS (2004 & Prior)                  Harcourt Brace (2004 &
                                                       Prior)
  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------------------

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April       April       April       April

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                              

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  94          85          84          79          89
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 23          32          39          47          48

  Number of students tested      80          75          90          86          63

  Percent of total students      98          97          98          100         No Data
  tested                                                                         

  Number of students             0           0           0           0           0
  alternatively assessed                                                         

  Percent of students            0           0           0           0           0
  alternatively assessed                                                         

                                                                                 

  **SUBGROUP SCORES**                                                            

  1\. Black                                                                      

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  2\. Hispanic                                                                   

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  85          90          82                      
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 14          40          35                      

  Number of students tested      15          10          17          \<10        \<10

  3\. ELL                                                                        

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  4\. SPED                                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                          50                      
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                         20                      

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        10          \<10        \<10

  5\. Socioeconomic Status                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  92          88          83          No Data     No Data
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 28          13          28          No Data     No Data

  Number of students tested      26          17          29          No Data     No Data
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------------------
  **Subject:**    **Grade:** Third    **Test:**        
  Reading                             Arizona's        
                                      Instrument to    
                                      Measure          
                                      Standards (AIMS) 

  **Edition /\    AIMS DPA (2005 --   **Publisher:**   CTB/McGraw-Hill (2005 -
  Publication     2006)\                               2006) &\
  Year:**         AIMS (2004 & Prior)                  Harcourt Brace (2004 &
                                                       Prior)
  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------------------

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April       April       April       April

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                              

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  92          84          87          86          85
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 22          11          27          16          47

  Number of students tested      80          75          91          86          64

  Percent of total students      98          97          99          100         No Data
  tested                                                                         

  Number of students             0           0           0           0           0
  alternatively assessed                                                         

  Percent of students            0           0           0           0           0
  alternatively assessed                                                         

                                                                                 

  **SUBGROUP SCORES**                                                            

  1\. Black                                                                      

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  2\. Hispanic                                                                   

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  85          80          89                      
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 14          10          22                      

  Number of students tested      15          10          18          \<10        \<10

  3\. ELL                                                                        

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  4\. SPED                                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                          60                      
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                         20                      

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        10          \<10        \<10

  5\. Socioeconomic Status                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  92          88          90          No Data     No Data
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 16          19          24          No Data     No Data

  Number of students tested      26          17          29          No Data     No Data
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- -----------------------
  **Subject:**    **Grade:** Fourth   **Test:**        
  Math                                Arizona's        
                                      Instrument to    
                                      Measure          
                                      Standards (AIMS) 

  **Edition /\    AIMS DPA            **Publisher:**   CTB/McGraw-Hill
  Publication                                          
  Year:**                                              
  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- -----------------------

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April                               

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                              

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  95          94          **Arizona               
  State Standards                                        did not                 
                                                         begin                   
                                                         testing\                
                                                         6^th^                   
                                                         graders                 
                                                         using AIMS              
                                                         until the\              
                                                         2004-2005               
                                                         school                  
                                                         year.**                 

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 41          44                                  

  Number of students tested      69          84                                  

  Percent of total students      97          No Data                             
  tested                                                                         

  Number of students             0           0                                   
  alternatively assessed                                                         

  Percent of students            0           0                                   
  alternatively assessed                                                         

                                                                                 

  **SUBGROUP SCORES**                                                            

  1\. Black                                                                      

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  2\. Hispanic                                                                   

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  91          100                                 
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 36          40                                  

  Number of students tested      11          15                                  

  3\. ELL                                                                        

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  4\. SPED                                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"              63                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards             18                                  

  Number of students tested      \<10        11                                  

  5\. Socioeconomic Status                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  100         89                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 44          26                                  

  Number of students tested      18          27                                  
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ----------------------------
  **Subject:**    **Grade:** Fourth   **Test:**        
  Reading                             Arizona's        
                                      Instrument to    
                                      Measure          
                                      Standards (AIMS) 

  **Edition /\    AIMS DPA            **Publisher:**   CTB/McGraw-Hill
  Publication                                          
  Year:**                                              
  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ----------------------------

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April                               

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                              

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  88          93          **Arizona               
  State Standards                                        did not                 
                                                         begin                   
                                                         testing\                
                                                         4^th^                   
                                                         graders                 
                                                         using AIMS              
                                                         until the\              
                                                         2004-2005               
                                                         school                  
                                                         year.**                 

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 22          14                                  

  Number of students tested      69          84                                  

  Percent of total students      97          No Data                             
  tested                                                                         

  Number of students             0           0                                   
  alternatively assessed                                                         

  Percent of students            0           0                                   
  alternatively assessed                                                         

                                                                                 

  **SUBGROUP SCORES**                                                            

  1\. Black                                                                      

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  2\. Hispanic                                                                   

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  91          100                                 
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 27          7                                   

  Number of students tested      11          15                                  

  3\. ELL                                                                        

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  4\. SPED                                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"              64                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards             9                                   

  Number of students tested      \<10        11                                  

  5\. Socioeconomic Status                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  94          89                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 22          11                                  

  Number of students tested      18          27                                  
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ----------------------------
  **Subject:**    **Grade:** Fifth    **Test:**        
  Math                                Arizona's        
                                      Instrument to    
                                      Measure          
                                      Standards (AIMS) 

  **Edition /\    AIMS DPA (2005 --   **Publisher:**   CTB/McGraw-Hill (2005 -
  Publication     2006)\                               2006) &\
  Year:**         AIMS (2004 & Prior)                  Harcourt Brace (2004 &
                                                       Prior)
  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ----------------------------

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April       April       April       April

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                              

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  88          92          69          66          26
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 34          23          56          47          22

  Number of students tested      69          48          55          47          23

  Percent of total students      97          100         96          98          No Data
  tested                                                                         

  Number of students             0           0           0           0           0
  alternatively assessed                                                         

  Percent of students            0           0           0           0           0
  alternatively assessed                                                         

                                                                                 

  **SUBGROUP SCORES**                                                            

  1\. Black                                                                      

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  2\. Hispanic                                                                   

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  77                                              
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 15                                              

  Number of students tested      13          \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  3\. ELL                                                                        

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  4\. SPED                                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  5\. Socioeconomic Status                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  84          95          71          No Data     No Data
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 17          30          59          No Data     No Data

  Number of students tested      18          20          17          No Data     No Data
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ----------------------------
  **Subject:**    **Grade:** Fifth    **Test:**        
  Reading                             Arizona's        
                                      Instrument to    
                                      Measure          
                                      Standards (AIMS) 

  **Edition /\    AIMS DPA (2005 --   **Publisher:**   CTB/McGraw-Hill (2005 -
  Publication     2006)\                               2006) &\
  Year:**         AIMS (2004 & Prior)                  Harcourt Brace (2004 &
                                                       Prior)
  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ----------------------------

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April       April       April       April

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                              

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  90          86          77          60          52
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 18          17          24          9           4

  Number of students tested      69          48          56          47          23

  Percent of total students      97          100         98          98          No Data
  tested                                                                         

  Number of students             0           0           0           0           0
  alternatively assessed                                                         

  Percent of students            0           0           0           0           0
  alternatively assessed                                                         

                                                                                 

  **SUBGROUP SCORES**                                                            

  1\. Black                                                                      

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  2\. Hispanic                                                                   

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  84                                              
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 15                                              

  Number of students tested      13          \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  3\. ELL                                                                        

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  4\. SPED                                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10        \<10

  5\. Socioeconomic Status                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  73          85          77          No Data     No Data
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 17          25          18          No Data     No Data

  Number of students tested      18          20          17          No Data     No Data
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ----------------------------
  **Subject:**    **Grade:** Sixth    **Test:**        
  Math                                Arizona's        
                                      Instrument to    
                                      Measure          
                                      Standards (AIMS) 

  **Edition /\    AIMS DPA            **Publisher:**   CTB/McGraw-Hill
  Publication                                          
  Year:**                                              
  --------------- ------------------- ---------------- ----------------------------

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April                               

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                              

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  95          85          **Arizona               
  State Standards                                        did not                 
                                                         begin                   
                                                         testing\                
                                                         6^th^                   
                                                         graders                 
                                                         using AIMS              
                                                         until the\              
                                                         2004-2005               
                                                         school                  
                                                         year.**                 

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 33          23                                  

  Number of students tested      39          47                                  

  Percent of total students      95          No Data                             
  tested                                                                         

  Number of students             0           0                                   
  alternatively assessed                                                         

  Percent of students            0           0                                   
  alternatively assessed                                                         

                                                                                 

  **SUBGROUP SCORES**                                                            

  1\. Black                                                                      

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  2\. Hispanic                                                                   

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  3\. ELL                                                                        

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  4\. SPED                                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  5\. Socioeconomic Status                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  100         80                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 32          20                                  

  Number of students tested      19          15                                  
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

  ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- --------------------------
  **Subject:**     **Grade:** Sixth  **Test:**        
  Reader                             Arizona's        
                                     Instrument to    
                                     Measure          
                                     Standards (AIMS) 

  **Edition /\     AIMS DPA          **Publisher:**   CTB/McGraw-Hill
  Publication                                         
  Year:**                                             
  ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- --------------------------

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April                               

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                              

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  92          94          **Arizona               
  State Standards                                        did not                 
                                                         begin                   
                                                         testing\                
                                                         6^th^                   
                                                         graders                 
                                                         using AIMS              
                                                         until the\              
                                                         2004-2005               
                                                         school                  
                                                         year.**                 

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 5           13                                  

  Number of students tested      39          47                                  

  Percent of total students      95          No Data                             
  tested                                                                         

  Number of students             0           0                                   
  alternatively assessed                                                         

  Percent of students            0           0                                   
  alternatively assessed                                                         

                                                                                 

  **SUBGROUP SCORES**                                                            

  1\. Black                                                                      

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  2\. Hispanic                                                                   

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  3\. ELL                                                                        

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  4\. SPED                                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"                                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards                                                 

  Number of students tested      \<10        \<10                                

  5\. Socioeconomic Status                                                       

  \% "Meeting" plus "Exceeding"  94          86                                  
  State Standards                                                                

  \% "Exceeding" State Standards 5           13                                  

  Number of students tested      19          15                                  
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**Norm-Referenced Results**

+--------------+------------------+----+---+---------------------------+
| **Subject:** | **Grade:**       | *  | T |                           |
| Math         | Second - Sixth   | *T | e |                           |
|              |                  | es | r |                           |
|              |                  | t: | r |                           |
|              |                  | ** | a |                           |
|              |                  |    | N |                           |
|              |                  |    | o |                           |
|              |                  |    | v |                           |
|              |                  |    | a |                           |
|              |                  |    | ( |                           |
|              |                  |    | 2 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 5 |                           |
|              |                  |    | - |                           |
|              |                  |    | - |                           |
|              |                  |    | 2 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 6 |                           |
|              |                  |    | ) |                           |
|              |                  |    |   |                           |
|              |                  |    | S |                           |
|              |                  |    | A |                           |
|              |                  |    | T |                           |
|              |                  |    | - |                           |
|              |                  |    | 9 |                           |
|              |                  |    | ( |                           |
|              |                  |    | 2 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 4 |                           |
|              |                  |    | & |                           |
|              |                  |    | P |                           |
|              |                  |    | r |                           |
|              |                  |    | i |                           |
|              |                  |    | o |                           |
|              |                  |    | r |                           |
|              |                  |    | ) |                           |
+--------------+------------------+----+---+---------------------------+
| **Edition /\ | TerraNova Second | ** |   | CTB/McGraw-Hill (2005 -   |
| Publication  | Edition (2005 -- | Pu |   | 2006) &\                  |
| Year:**      | 2006)\           | bl |   | Harcourt (2004 & Prior)   |
|              | SAT-9 (2004 &    | is |   |                           |
|              | Prior)           | he |   |                           |
|              |                  | r: |   |                           |
|              |                  | ** |   |                           |
+--------------+------------------+----+---+---------------------------+

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April       April       April       April

  **National Percentile by                                                       
  Grade**                                                                        

  Second Grade                   65          67          69          73          70

  Third Grade                    67          68          75          72          77

  Fourth Grade                   73          76          78          80          72

  Fifth Grade                    66          70          86          74          44

  Sixth Grade                    79          78          84          63          69
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

+--------------+------------------+----+---+---------------------------+
| **Subject:** | **Grade:**       | *  | T |                           |
| Reading      | Second - Sixth   | *T | e |                           |
|              |                  | es | r |                           |
|              |                  | t: | r |                           |
|              |                  | ** | a |                           |
|              |                  |    | N |                           |
|              |                  |    | o |                           |
|              |                  |    | v |                           |
|              |                  |    | a |                           |
|              |                  |    | ( |                           |
|              |                  |    | 2 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 5 |                           |
|              |                  |    | - |                           |
|              |                  |    | - |                           |
|              |                  |    | 2 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 6 |                           |
|              |                  |    | ) |                           |
|              |                  |    |   |                           |
|              |                  |    | S |                           |
|              |                  |    | A |                           |
|              |                  |    | T |                           |
|              |                  |    | - |                           |
|              |                  |    | 9 |                           |
|              |                  |    | ( |                           |
|              |                  |    | 2 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 4 |                           |
|              |                  |    | & |                           |
|              |                  |    | P |                           |
|              |                  |    | r |                           |
|              |                  |    | i |                           |
|              |                  |    | o |                           |
|              |                  |    | r |                           |
|              |                  |    | ) |                           |
+--------------+------------------+----+---+---------------------------+
| **Edition /\ | TerraNova Second | ** |   | CTB/McGraw-Hill (2005 -   |
| Publication  | Edition (2005 -- | Pu |   | 2006) &\                  |
| Year:**      | 2006)\           | bl |   | Harcourt (2004 & Prior)   |
|              | SAT-9 (2004 &    | is |   |                           |
|              | Prior)           | he |   |                           |
|              |                  | r: |   |                           |
|              |                  | ** |   |                           |
+--------------+------------------+----+---+---------------------------+

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April       April       April       April

  **National Percentile by                                                       
  Grade**                                                                        

  Second Grade                   71          63          67          68          65

  Third Grade                    65          67          66          65          65

  Fourth Grade                   76          73          74          76          55

  Fifth Grade                    72          68          79          60          54

  Sixth Grade                    77          79          61          61          57
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

+--------------+------------------+----+---+---------------------------+
| **Subject:** | **Grade:**       | *  | T |                           |
| Language     | Second - Sixth   | *T | e |                           |
|              |                  | es | r |                           |
|              |                  | t: | r |                           |
|              |                  | ** | a |                           |
|              |                  |    | N |                           |
|              |                  |    | o |                           |
|              |                  |    | v |                           |
|              |                  |    | a |                           |
|              |                  |    | ( |                           |
|              |                  |    | 2 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 5 |                           |
|              |                  |    | - |                           |
|              |                  |    | - |                           |
|              |                  |    | 2 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 6 |                           |
|              |                  |    | ) |                           |
|              |                  |    |   |                           |
|              |                  |    | S |                           |
|              |                  |    | A |                           |
|              |                  |    | T |                           |
|              |                  |    | - |                           |
|              |                  |    | 9 |                           |
|              |                  |    | ( |                           |
|              |                  |    | 2 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 0 |                           |
|              |                  |    | 4 |                           |
|              |                  |    | & |                           |
|              |                  |    | P |                           |
|              |                  |    | r |                           |
|              |                  |    | i |                           |
|              |                  |    | o |                           |
|              |                  |    | r |                           |
|              |                  |    | ) |                           |
+--------------+------------------+----+---+---------------------------+
| **Edition /\ | TerraNova Second | ** |   | CTB/McGraw-Hill (2005 -   |
| Publication  | Edition (2005 -- | Pu |   | 2006) &\                  |
| Year:**      | 2006)\           | bl |   | Harcourt (2004 & Prior)   |
|              | SAT-9 (2004 &    | is |   |                           |
|              | Prior)           | he |   |                           |
|              |                  | r: |   |                           |
|              |                  | ** |   |                           |
+--------------+------------------+----+---+---------------------------+

  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                 2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Testing month                  April       April       April       April       April

  **National Percentile by                                                       
  Grade**                                                                        

  Second Grade                   69          76          66          63          61

  Third Grade                    69          70          78          74          65

  Fourth Grade                   72          76          70          67          54

  Fifth Grade                    78          79          72          53          35

  Sixth Grade                    71          75          66          44          53
  ------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------