…committed to achieving excellence for every child, every day, every opportunity
Washington Elementary School District (WESD), the largest elementary school district in Arizona, is proud to serve a
diverse population of over 23,600 pre-kindergarten through 8th grade students in north central Phoenix and east
Glendale.
Successes of the Washington Elementary School District
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Award-winning Educators, Schools and Programs
o Innovation of the Year Award for University Program Partnership with Glendale Community College
o Acacia Elementary, A+ School of Excellence, Arizona Education Foundation
o Dr. Bonney, Elementary Science Teacher of the Year, Arizona Science Foundation
o Mrs. Shannon Bonnette, Exemplary Principal, Rodel Foundation
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Growth in Student Achievement
o 86% of WESD Algebra students passed AzMERIT (state average was 32%)
o Algebra is the number one indicator of student success in high school
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Environmentally Sound Practices
o Saved $10,144,244 by reducing Kilowatts per hour usage by 70 million between 2009 and 2016
o Saved $220,000 within fourteen months by installing high efficiency water equipment
o Saved $47,000 by installing LED lighting at two middle schools and one elementary school
o Twenty-five campuses designated Energy Star Leader since 2009
o Crescordia Award winner for Environmental Education
o SRP Champions of Energy Efficiency, runner up
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Exemplary Business and Community Partnerships
o Developed Seven Anchors Mentoring in partnership with 19 North Community
o More than 1,000 business, community, and faith-based members of WESD’s Business Advisory Team
o Over 150,000 pounds of food collected and donated to St. Mary’s Food Bank annually
Challenges of the Washington Elementary School District
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Attracting and Retaining Highly Effective Teachers
o At the beginning of school, 50% of school districts reported over 3,000 teacher vacancies
o Nearly 25% of educators eligible to retire in the next two to five years
o 26% decline in Arizona university teacher preparation program enrollment
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Capital Needs
o Over $150 million in identified, essential needs to keep WESD buildings and systems operating
safely and efficientl. WESD currently receives $1.5 million annually for capital from the state.
Strategic Thinking and Investment
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Education is integral to business development – it is an investment rather than an expense. Tax incentives
will only go so far in attracting business.
85% of parents “choose” to send their children to district schools.
If strategic investment is not made in the “human capital” (primarily teachers), Arizona will continue to
lose ground economically. Forty-nine other states are also competing for teachers.
To stay connected contact us at 602-347-2600, visit our website at wesdschools.org, “like” us on Facebook
at wesdschools, or “follow” us on Twitter and Instagram at wesdschools.
…committed to achieving excellence for every child, every day, every opportunity
Fast Facts
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Free and Reduced Lunch – 88%
English Language Learners (59 Languages) – 20%
Special Education students - 14%
Gifted students - 8%
Homeless – 3%
Number of breakfasts served daily – 18,200
Number of lunches served daily – 20,100
Miles driven daily – 7,127
Number of bus riders daily – 5,500
Demographics
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Hispanic – 53.8%
White – 28.0%
Black – 8.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native – 3.7%
Two or more ethnicities – 3.4%
Asian – 2.8%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander - .2%
Staffing
 Certified – 1,424
 Classified – 1,471