District opens FLEX option to ESA students for 2026-27
Apache Junction Unified plans to admit Empowerment Scholarship Account students through its AJUSD FLEX program next school year.
Pierce KellerSeptember 14, 20262 min read
Local · Schools
Queen Creek
Schools news from Queen Creek.
Prop. 320 could require Arizona districts to raise classroom spending
Proposition 320 would require certain Arizona school districts to devote at least 60% of their operating budgets to classroom instruction.
Pierce KellerSeptember 14, 20262 min read
Chandler Unified specialist receives August Copper Apple Award
Antonette Shirley, Chandler Unified’s indigenous student engagement specialist, received the Arizona Department of Education’s Copper Apple Award for August.
Pierce KellerSeptember 14, 20261 min read
Queen Creek
116 QCUSD students earn top AP score of 5 in 2025-26
Queen Creek Unified School District said 116 students scored a 5 on at least one Advanced Placement exam in 2025-26 across its three comprehensive high schools.
Queen Creek NewsroomSeptember 11, 20262 min read
School board approves new mandatory reporting policy
The Queen Creek Unified School District governing board has adopted a policy requiring education staff to report abuse concerns directly to law enforcement or the Department of Child Services.
Pierce KellerSeptember 10, 20261 min read
Queen Creek teacher returns to alma mater to promote student fitness
Sadie Hilland, a second-grade physical education instructor at Mountain Trail Academy in Mesa, is using her athletic background to encourage healthy habits among students after returning to the Queen Creek Unified School District.
Pierce KellerSeptember 3, 20261 min read
Queen Creek
Chandler Unified Is Cutting Its Self-Assessment From 11 Metrics to 5. A Staff Stipend Rides on the Score.
The district that runs Casteel High School wants to grade itself on five categories instead of 11. Last year's score paid staff up to $600; the new formula was modelled so it still would. The board wants more changes before it votes.
Pierce KellerSeptember 2, 20262 min read
EDUPRIZE Leaders Detail Staffing Cuts at Town Hall
Superintendent Michael Gordon-Smith and Executive Director Robin Yeargain addressed parent concerns regarding recent layoffs and financial decisions during an Aug. 17 meeting.
Pierce KellerAugust 30, 20262 min read
Chandler Unified Restructures Top Admin Roles, Adds Chief of Staff
The Chandler Unified School District has appointed Kevin Mendivil as its first chief of staff, replacing the chief financial officer role amid a broader administrative reorganization.
Pierce KellerAugust 28, 20262 min read
Chandler School Board Delays Land Acknowledgment Vote
The Chandler Unified School District Governing Board postponed a decision on implementing land acknowledgments at meetings and graduations following a heated debate.
Briar DoyleAugust 27, 20262 min read
Queen Creek
Meta Agrees to New Limits on Teen Accounts in a $17 Billion Settlement
Meta will pay states $17 billion and impose new limits on how teenagers use Facebook and Instagram, including a daily cap and no notifications during school hours, settling claims from 47 states including Arizona.
Pierce KellerAugust 27, 20262 min read
Is AI Helping Our Children? Arizona Is Running the Experiment Live
An Arizona charter school teaches core academics in two hours a day through AI software, with guides instead of teachers. A randomized trial suggests everything depends on whether the tool hints or hands over the answer.
Pierce KellerAugust 20, 20265 min read
Higley school board opening will be filled by county appointment
Maricopa County Schools Superintendent Shelli Boggs will fill the Higley Unified board vacancy by appointment after Scott Glover’s July 20 resignation.
Pierce KellerAugust 6, 20262 min read
Queen Creek microschool seeks repairs after dust storm ruins shade structure
The Learning Vine is looking for a contractor after a dust storm damaged its shaded outdoor area again.
Pierce KellerAugust 5, 20261 min read
3D-printed blades found in Queen Creek, Scottsdale school cases
A Casteel Junior High student and two Scottsdale students were involved in April 2025 incidents involving objects made with 3D printers that resembled or functioned as knives or other weapons.
Pierce KellerAugust 5, 20262 min read
What Queen Creek parents can talk about now that Queen Creek Unified School District has started
Queen Creek Unified School District started Monday, Jul. 20, 2026. Here is a fuller back-to-school guide for Queen Creek families on routines, bullying, cyberbullying, AI use and honesty.
Pierce KellerJuly 27, 20266 min read
Back to School: Queen Creek's 2026-27 School Year Is Under Way, With Key Dates Ahead
Queen Creek's public schools begin the 2026-27 year around July 20, 2026. Here are the first-day and key calendar dates for the districts that serve the city.
Pierce KellerJuly 24, 20261 min read
School Board Races Expected to Be Competitive in Three Districts
Chandler Unified, Higley, and Queen Creek Unified are all anticipating competitive elections for their respective school boards.
Pierce KellerJuly 14, 20261 min read
Queen Creek Girls Soccer Coach Moves to Nearby School
The head coach of the Girls High School Open champion soccer team in Queen Creek has departed for a different school in the same community.
Pierce KellerJuly 9, 20261 min read
Queen Creek Schools Receive Safety Grant Funding
A new allocation of safety grants has been directed toward educational facilities in the Queen Creek area to support security improvements.
Pierce KellerJuly 8, 20261 min read
Queen Creek schools receive new safety grant funding
A new round of safety grants has been awarded to benefit educational facilities in the Queen Creek area.
Pierce KellerJuly 7, 20261 min read