Seniors who completed their course work but did not pass AIMS will be allowed to walk with their graduation class in the Sunnyside Unified School District under certain conditions.
The Governing Board waived its policy - this one time - during a special meeting Thursday and is allowing students who appeal their cases - and are found that they can likely meet state standards by the fall - to participate in graduation ceremonies.
Applause filled the packed boardroom after the vote. About 80 parents and students attended.
The board decided not to give these students a certificate of completion, which means they have met their course work requirements. Instead, board members told students that they must return to school and meet what is required for a diploma.
Board member Magdalena Barajas - who made the motion, which passed 4-0 - said the administration must develop a process to evaluate each student's case to see whether they must attend summer school, enroll in fall classes to boost their augmentation scores, and retake AIMS.
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It appears 55 students are facing this dilemma, said Steve Holmes, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. He said under the criteria the board set, he thinks most of these students will be allowed to walk with their class next week. The students and their parents should receive word by Monday.
"We have a record number of 868 who will graduate," Superintendent Manuel L. Isquierdo announced. "We have failed some families, and we have a responsibility to our kids. We want these students to come back and graduate," said Isquierdo, adding that he does not want a repeat of this scenario next year.
Parents and students filled the boardroom and voiced their opinions on the issue, which was affecting more than 500 students' graduation plans in Pima County's 25 largest public high schools earlier this month.
Parent Carmen Ruiz said her son struggled and barely passed AIMS. He will graduate, she said, but the process was difficult for the family, and she urged administrators to work with students and to listen to them.
Sunnyside High wrestling coach Bobby DeBerry said parents have been knocking on the front door at his home for two weeks imploring that he speak on their behalf. "It blows my mind that something as simple as letting students walk is at question. ... We have always been a community of caring; exclusion is not something we are about," DeBerry said.
He said students are searching for help so they can continue working to meet the AIMS standards. He said his son, Kory, passed AIMS by guessing the correct answer to one question.
Parent MarÃa Lozano, whose daughter did not pass AIMS math, told the board these students' course work had to be recognized, and that they needed to show students respect and dignity by allowing them to walk.
The reason Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards became a bigger issue for the Class of 2011 is that districts are allowed only to augment seniors' AIMS scores by up to 5 percent by giving points for grades of C or better. The augmentation was supposed to end in 2007, but so many students were still at risk of failing that in 2008 the Legislature revived it and decided to reduce augmentation in stages.
Contact reporter Carmen Duarte at 573-4104 or cduarte@azstarnet.com
