During last week’s meeting of the Winslow Unified School District Governing Board, Superintendent Dr. Amber Martinez first walked the board through data from the Arizona Education Progress Meter regarding student test scores, comparing Winslow to the state, Navajo County and Holbrook.
The data Martinez presented was from 2025, not the most recent testing cycle. Martinez said Winslow and Holbrook were exactly the same in that area, adding that Winslow was right on par with Holbrook but a little bit lower than the state and the county.
Martinez then moved to eighth-grade math, where Winslow compared more favorably. “We definitely beat Holbrook there, so that was exciting to see and very close to the county average. It’s very common that we’re lower than the state. Hopefully we’ll continue to move up but our goal is always to at least be close in the county.” She called the eighth-grade math comparison a good win for the district.
The strongest point in the Progress Meter comparison came from Winslow High School’s graduation rate. Martinez said the district was ahead of Holbrook, the county and the state in that category. “So very, very impressive here with the high school graduation rate.” Martinez said.
Board members also asked about the trend line shown in the graduation rate data, noting that it appeared to be moving downward compared with the county. Martinez said, “Not sure why, but to be anywhere in the 80s and 90s (percentage rates) is a very high graduation rate,” she said. The board also briefly discussed whether COVID-era disruptions could be part of the trend.
Martinez said the Progress Meter only provides a few data points, including third-grade reading, eighth-grade math and high school graduation but she said the overall comparison was encouraging. “Between the three, we’re looking very good in comparison with Holbrook and I’m impressed with the scores that we have between those three different categories,” Martinez said.
Later in her superintendent’s report, Martinez gave the board a more recent update on preliminary state testing data. “Our preliminary state testing data has come back, and it’s looking very good. I don’t anticipate any of the schools having a C rating. We do have a few schools that may be on the cusp of an A. So we’re keeping our fingers crossed.” Martinez also said all certified positions required to begin the school year have been filled.
After the academic discussion, the board formally approved the district’s 2026-27 budget. The meeting began with a public hearing on the budget, where Business Manager Casey Hancock said there had been no changes since the proposed budget was presented at the prior meeting. “Nothing changed from the proposed budget. So this is the same budget that we proposed 10 or so days ago at the last board meeting.”
Hancock also cautioned that the budget is built on current-year funding and will likely shift as the year begins. “Again, it’s all current year funding, so things are going to change as we go throughout the year,” the board was told. “And as students actually come back, the numbers will start to come down most likely is how it’s been in the past years.” Board members had no questions during the public hearing.
The budget document lists $28.51 million in estimated revenues for fiscal year 2027, excluding property taxes. That includes $4.5 million in local revenue, $10,000 in intermediate revenue, $15.8 million in state revenue and $8.2 million in federal revenue. The district’s proposed primary tax rate remains unchanged at 3.3562, while the revised maintenance and operations override rate remains at 2.5457.
The budget includes $17.9 million in maintenance and operation fund expenditures, with a $1.1 million carryforward and a total M&O budget limit of $19.1 million. The unrestricted capital fund is budgeted at $5.5 million and federal projects other than Impact Aid are listed at $2.7 million bringing the aggregate school district budget limit to $27.3 million.
The adopted budget shows the average teacher salary remaining flat at $58,151, with no increase from the prior year. The document also identifies Dr. Amber Martinez as superintendent and Casey Hancock as business manager.
In the M&O fund, regular education makes up $14 million including $6.3 million for instruction, $1.3 million for school administration and $3.3 million for operation and maintenance of plant. Special education is budgeted at $2.5 million, pupil transportation at $1.4 million and K-3 reading at $62,594.
The Classroom Site Fund is budgeted at $5.1 million, a 0.8% increase from the prior year. Most of that money, $4.9 million is budgeted for instruction, with smaller amounts budgeted for student support services and instructional staff support.
The unrestricted capital budget is lower than the prior year, falling from $6 million to $5.5 million, a 7.8% decrease. The capital budget includes $800,000 in facilities acquisition and construction, $500,000 for furniture and equipment, $400,000 for vehicles, $100,000 for technology hardware and software, $50,000 for textbooks, $10,000 for instructional aids and $5,000 for library books.
The budget also lists $6.3 million in federal project funds and $560,774 in state project funds, for a total of $6.9 million in special project funds. Federal project amounts include $836,922 for Title I, $273,095 for Indian Education, $411,415 for IDEA Part B, $119,354 for Johnson-O’Malley, $240,000 in Medicaid reimbursement, $110,000 for E-Rate and $3.6 million in Impact Aid.
After the public hearing, the budget came back before the board during the regular meeting for formal approval. The board then approved the 2026-27 budget.
During the meeting, the board also:
* Approved hiring the following new substitute teachers: Alphena Armao, Charlene Betts, Lillian Rock-Benallie, Sarah Breeze, Misty Benham, Roberta Cano, Teri Bumgarner, Renee Hardy, Betty Clarke, Chuck Hodge, Robert Crossland, Darrell House, Cheryll Daly, Donna Duran, Veronica Nelson, Tabatha Nez, Susie Reigel, Gary Rock, Susan St. Germaine, Joanna Venegas, Renee White-Alcott, Kelley Harvey-Brannon, Felicia Gene, Chris Gerhard, Laura Maruk and Deborah Vargas.
* Approved hiring Sharon Greenwood as gifted and talented education (GATE) teacher, Jason Stradling as WHS construction teacher, and Colton Bennett and Traci Redfearn as paraprofessionals.
* Approved Jordan Payne, varsity head football coach; Chris Garrett and Carlos Quezada, varsity football assistants; Clint Weishan, junior varsity football head coach; and Avery Smith, junior varsity football assistant. Julie Thomas, volleyball varsity head coach; Jennifer Yazzie, volleyball junior varsity coach and Samantha Sam, freshman volleyball coach. Janeen Barton, cross country head coach. Andrew MacDonald, head boys soccer coach. Josue Barrios, head girls soccer coach and Bailey Hardy, girls soccer assistant. Judy Cavasos, head swim coach. Tamry Wright, head spiritline coach and Alexa Gilbert and Melanie Pugh, assistant spiritline coaches. Tyler Allen, marching band head sponsor. Jerron Jordan, varsity boys head basketball coach; Ferlin Nez, varsity boys basketball assistant; Brady Needens, junior varsity boys basketball head coach and Tyrell Young, freshman boys basketball head coach. Janeen Barton, varsity head girls basketball coach and Frank Stacey, varsity girls basketball assistant; Sheninkwa Cly, junior varsity girls basketball head coach and Jennifer Yazzie, freshman head girls basketball coach; Chris Garrett, varsity head baseball coach; Jordan Payne, varsity assistant; Clint Weishan, junior varsity baseball head coach and Shawn Smith, junior varsity baseball assistant. Quentin Hayes, varsity softball head coach; Josue Barrios, varsity softball assistant; Tonia Tucker, junior varsity softball head coach and Chloe Wilcox, junior varsity softball assistant. Carlos Quezada, head track and field coach and Wilburt Barton, Michelle Jones and Andrew LeGate, assistant track and field coaches. Lehauli Serious, WJHS head football coach and Steven Serious, football assistant. Chloe Wilcox, eighth grade softball head coach and Tonia Tucker, seventh grade softball head coach. Leroy Thomas, boys head cross country coach and Sheninkwa Cly, girls head cross country coach. Sabrina Vasquez, head spiritline coach and Lindsey Williams and Karsyn Ellis, assistant spiritline coaches.
