San Tan Heights K-8 School, a Title I school in Arizona, joined Great Minds Schools in 2021 while navigating pandemic related challenges of staff shortages, social-emotional needs, and learning loss. After partnering with Great Minds Schools and implementing high-quality curriculum in every grade and content area, San Tan Heights has become a beacon of joyful learning. 

"I witness the consistency from classroom to classroom, grade level to grade level. There is interaction from the students that I haven't seen before—ever. This shift is real." 

- Dr. Henry Saylor-Scheetz, Principal

In Winter 2022, San Tan Heights students performed significantly higher than the growth projected by the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. NWEA calculates projected growth between school years for each grade level based on national norms. The charts to the right illustrate the NWEA projected growth in comparison to actual mean of growth. 

"We now have something to bring to the table, instead of discussing what we don't have. Now we're giving each other feedback on lessons and collaborating about data from students: What are they learning? How much further can we push them?" 

- Michelle Kays, 5th Grade Math

"I see more teacher buy-in than before. If teachers don't want to do something, the kids aren't going to want to do it. We feel much more like a unified front now." 

- Andrea Parrott, Exceptional Student Services

"We've gone from a culture where there would be physical altercations between students to a culture in which students legitimately care about each other. They've bought in. In my experience working with kids, this is unique." 

- Craig Aspden, 8th Grade Science and History