District outlines use of IXL, STAR reading diagnostics and expands Naviance for college/career planning

District leaders presented a data‑driven plan to use IXL and STAR Reading diagnostics to identify learning needs and to expand Naviance to support college‑and‑career readiness.

Administrators described IXL as a personalized‑learning platform aligned to Arizona Academic Standards that provides diagnostics, personal action plans and skill‑based practice across K–12. Presenters reported substantial district use this semester (thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of questions answered) and said the platform supports remediation, enrichment, and teacher analytics. "IXL and STAR allow us to measure exactly where they are, where their deficits are," a presenter said.

STAR Reading was described as the state‑required diagnostic tied to the Move‑On‑When‑Reading determination; staff said STAR will serve as the district's reading diagnostic while IXL supports targeted instruction.

Administration also explained an expanded license for Naviance to provide career and college planning beginning in middle school. Presenters said Naviance will offer self‑discovery inventories, career‑cluster finders, college‑search and FAFSA tools, SMART‑goal tracking, and parent access. The district plans counselor involvement and teacher collaboration to embed these tools with existing programs such as AVID and career‑exploration classes.

Board members asked how teachers will manage broad ranges of student needs in a single classroom and what supports have been provided for low‑performing students. Presenters described Title I reading specialists, new supplemental reading programs for early grades, and professional‑learning work to integrate the tools into daily instruction.

No policy votes were required for the presentations; staff said parents will gain access to Naviance after data uploads are completed and training for counselors is underway.