Lawmakers tank housing help / RE1
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Kyrene assessment test results generally favorable BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
P NEWS ................ 3 More internet providers in Phoenix's future.
reliminary results from this year’s state assessment tests in English Language Arts, science and math show Kyrene students’ overall performance handily beat statewide averages. But even though district officials on June 13 told the Kyrene Governing Board they still
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GETOUT ............. 37 The bridal bash capital of Arizona. COMMUNITY ............................ 24 BUSINESS ................................ 29 OPINION ................................. 32 SPORTS ................................... 34 GETOUT ...................................37 CLASSIFIEDS ........................... 42
have much data crunching ahead, some troubling signs have emerged in the early results. Dr. Christine McDougal, Kyrene’s executive director of teaching and learning, told the board that on a national level, learning assessment data points to the pandemic’s long-term impact on kids’ learning. She said national data point to “a widening achievement gap and greater impact for grades 3 and 8 and that recovery in reading is
Jail for homeless debated as help or punishment BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
DV rising sophomore Madeleine Conrad is one of two local young actresses on Valley stages.
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Wednesday, June 21, 2023
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hoenix last week took the first step toward creating a second court for getting unsheltered people onto the road to a better life but not before an emotional debate among City Council members and staff over whether jail should be used to punish them for quality-of-life crimes or become the first step toward their recovery. Council's Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee on June 14 unanimously approved a Phoenix Community Court, sending the administration proposal to the full Council for a final vote June 28. The court would cost $2.23 million annually. If Council approves it – as it likely will – the city would begin hiring the 10 “navigators” and 11 other court
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personnel in August needed to get it running by January. The navigators work with defendants to get them into treatment or other services that could enable them to avoid criminal liability for whatever charges got them into the system to begin with. The Community Court would be the fourth “specialty court” in Phoenix that addresses specific categories of people and minor crimes with the goal of helping defendants turn their life around rather than punish them. Besides one for troubled military veterans and those with severe mental illness who end up, Phoenix also administers the Maricopa County Regional Homeless Court, which is “designed to resolve outstanding minor misdemeanor, victimless offenses and war-
see HOMELESS page 16
lagging behind recovery in math." Moreover, McDougall added, “Recovery is expected to take up to five years.” And according to Dr. Rebecca Bolnick, district research and evaluation director, “Kyrene is seeing a similar trend with our students.” Both educators stressed the early state of the data, stating both the district and the state still
see SCORES page 12
Quantum leap
Mountain Pointe senior forward Zoe Carillo showed a lot of bounce to her step at State Farm Stadium as the Section 7 Basketball Tournament host 120 high school girls basketball programs from several states. For a report on how Zoe and her colleagues did, as well as their Desert Vista counterparts, see page 34. (Dave Minton/Staff Photographer)
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