Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Katrina Sacco
928-472-5754
Payson Unified School District strives to provide high quality instruction in each course we offer. Students’ individualized needs are prioritized by PUSD, and we work hard to create an environment which ensures every student is being supported properly. We use district assessments to monitor student progress and adjust instruction and interventions in order to meet the needs of all learners.
Assessments - State Testing
"Opt-out" is not permitted with state testing.
- AASA and ACT are the statewide achievement tests for Arizona students. Arizona public school students in Grades 3-8 will take the grade-level AASA assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics and 11th graders will take the ACT.
- AZSCI - Currently for students in grades 5, 8, and 11.
District Testing - Benchmark Assessments
Benchmark assessments track progress made throughout the school year. When intervention or remediation is indicated on the benchmark assessment in Reading and Math, the principal, teachers, and reading specialists have a menu of interventions that will help students achieve grade-level proficiency in Reading and Math.
Arizona Law on English Language Education:
The PUSD ELL Program complies with all state and federal regulations for English language education, including:
English Language Education (ARS15-752). Subject to the exceptions provided in section 15-753, all children in Arizona public schools shall be taught English by being taught in English and all children shall be placed in English language classrooms. Children who are English learners shall be educated through sheltered English immersion during a temporary transition period not normally intended to exceed one year. Local schools shall be permitted but not required to place in the same classroom English learners of different ages but whose degree of English proficiency is similar.