The Dysart Mythbusters page is dedicated to providing factual information in response to myths regarding district issues.  The page will be updated as needed throughout the school year to provide the Dysart community with factual information about Dysart’s endeavors.  For questions related to the Dysart Mythbusters, please contact the community relations department at communityrelations@dysart.org.

Myth - December 14, 2011 - The Dysart School District did not raise an objection to the proposed Arizona American Water rate hike of 82%.
 
Myth Busted - Factual Information - The Dysart School District sent a letter of objection to the proposed water rate hike to each member of the Arizona Corporation Commission. The text of the letter follows:

Dear Commissioner:

The Dysart Unified School District No. 89 reaffirms its opposition to Arizona-American Water Companies request for determination of the current fair value of its utility plant and property and for increases in its rates and charges based thereon for utility service by its Agua Fria Water District. Due to State level budget reductions and the elimination of utility funding, the District has no resources by which to absorb the proposed rate increase. The District has estimated the increase would impact 11 facilities at a cost of approximately $800,000. The majority of the District’s budget is committed to the employment of the staff who support our students. The impact of such an increase would most likely result in the reduction of staff. The potential impact could result in higher class size or the reduction in programs for students.

Scott Thompson
Executive Director of Business Services
Dysart Unified School District
Nathaniel Dysart Education Center
15802 North Parkview Place
Surprise, Arizona 85374
(623) 876-7008
www.dysart.org

Myth - October 17, 2011 - The Dysart School District created a process for filling the vacant Governing Board seat that allows the Dysart Superintendent to pick the new Board member.
 
Myth Busted - Factual Information - When a Governing Board member resigns prior to the end of their term and a vacancy is created, school districts in Maricopa County follow the process for filling the Board vacancy established by the Maricopa County Education Service Agency (MCESA) (formerly known as the County Superintendent's office). The MCESA process specifically outlines the procedures to be used to fill a Governing Board vacancy created by a resignation, including identifying the people that are to be involved in each step of the process. The Maricopa County Superintendent makes the political appointment to the Governing Board.

Myth - April 20, 2011 - April 20 is a day off from school for students due to a national drug day or Adolph Hitler's birthday.
 
Myth Busted - Factual Information - Dysart has designated April 20 as a professional development day for its teachers for the last five years. The day was originally designated as a professional development day several years ago from the community's concern about a state-wide focus of the anniversary of the Columbine High School incident. The continuance of the use of April 20 as the professional development day for teachers has evolved from an effort of consistency with the school calendar from year to year.

Myth - November 15, 2010 - All references and links to school board meeting packets have been removed from the Dysart website.
 
Myth Busted - Factual Information - All board meeting packets, past and present, are located on the Dysart website.  In order to assist the community in finding the board packet information quickly, it has been added as a quick link entitled, "Public Meetings Notice", on the front page of the district website. 

Myth - October 22, 2010 - Shadow Ridge High School does not have adequate resources, facilities or funding to meet the needs of the students and compared to other district high schools.
 
Myth Busted - Factual Information - Shadow Ridge High School has the same resources and funding as the other district high schools.  Additionally, upon the completion of the school's new auditorium, Shadow Ridge's facilities will be completed and comparable to the other high schools.  The allocation of financial resources, textbooks and other resources for students is the same for Shadow Ridge as the other schools in the district.  Recently local media featured a story featuring parents questioning the resources provided students at Shadow Ridge.  Although factual information addressing the concerns was provided to the media, not all of that information was reported.  Parents are encouraged to contact the district to find the factual information to any question regarding the district, its schools, facilities and programs. 

Myth - October 13, 2010 -  Dysart's practice of having one person as the administrative assistant to the superintendent and the board secretary is out-dated.  Most school districts have two separate people for these responsibilities.
 
Myth Busted - Factual Information - Most school districts, including many large districts throughout the Phoenix area, use the same practice as Dysart for these responsibilities.  Both large and small school districts use the same person for both responsibilities.

Myth - October 12, 2010 - Dysart is looking to change high school boundaries for next school year.
 
Myth Busted - Factual Information - Dysart will not be changing high school boundaries next year.  The current boundaries are expected to be in place until the district has the need to open a new high school.  This is not projected to occur until the 2015-2016 school year at the earliest.

Myth – August 24, 2010 – Dysart’s transportation department transports students in buses that do not have functioning air conditioning.
 
Myth Busted – Factual Information – All buses in the Dysart transportation fleet are equipped with air conditioning.  There are times when a bus may experience a malfunctioning air conditioning system.  When this occurs, the system is fixed as quickly as possible. While Dysart’s buses use the air conditioning systems, the combination of students on a bus and the Arizona heat may not bring the bus temperature to a level comparable to that achieved in a building or a car.

Myth – March 29, 2010 – Dysart has fired all second, third and fourth grade teachers at El Mirage School.
 
Myth Busted – Factual Information – Dysart has partnered with ASU in a professional development endeavor to provide expert teachers with the most up-to-date research based training in their classrooms providing instruction to the El Mirage students. The current El Mirage teachers teaching in grades 2, 3, and 4 are eligible to apply for the ASU collaborative teaching positions, apply to transfer to a different position in the district or have the district place them within one of the schools in the district for next year.  The teachers have these placement options to choose from and are not being fired.

Myth – March 29, 2010 –Dysart needs to conduct a financial audit of the district.
 
Myth Busted – Factual Information –The Dysart School District undergoes an extensive yearly financial audit by an outside auditing firm.  This yearly audit is required by law.  Those audit findings are presented in a public meeting to the Governing Board each year. The Dysart School District has been awarded the ASBO Award of Excellence in Financial Reporting.  Additionally, Dysart received an A+ financial rating from Fitch Ratings for the sale of school-improvement bonds in 2009.  Fitch Ratings cited that despite the current economy, Dysart’s approach to potential budget reductions warrants the stability afforded by the excellent rating .

Myth – March 29, 2010 – The district high schools should hold graduation ceremonies at the Surprise Stadium as opposed to the University of Phoenix Stadium to save money.
 
Myth Busted – Factual Information – Utilizing estimates from the 2009 graduation ceremonies from the Surprise Stadium (noting that 2010 out of pocket expenses for the Surprise Stadium may be higher), moving the graduation ceremonies to the University of Phoenix Stadiums saves the district more than $800 and provides an indoor venue for the ceremonies without having to limit attendance to the event.  Dysart’s high schools do not allow adequate parking or seating to accommodate graduation ceremonies on the football fields of each school.

Myth – July 28, 2009 – Dysart staff continue to attend overnight and out of state conferences even though the district has restricted overnight travel from the maintenance and operations budget.
 
Myth Busted – Factual Information –Dysart staff are attending conferences and trainings that may require overnight stay or are held out of state but the funds are not from the maintenance and operations budget.  Many of the grants that Dysart receives require staff to travel to trainings and workshops.  Grants that require travel or attendance to conferences also fund the expenses associated with the workshops, including travel.  Additionally, schools may have students accompanied by staff travel out of state or overnight using funding from student fund raisers or extracurricular tax credit funds.

Myth – April 7, 2009 – The Dysart School District used district money to fund the Dysart Hero Program and Award Dinner.
 
Myth Busted – Factual Information – The Dysart Hero Program and Award Dinner were completely funded by donations from A & P Construction, Cigna Medical and D.L. Withers Construction.  Additionally, attendees of the dinner paid $10 for their tickets.  NO DISTRICT FUNDS WERE USED FOR THE DYSART HEROES PROGRAM, DINNER, OR ITS AWARDS.

Myth - March 18, 2009 –The salaries and pay increases of community education staff are determined based on how much money that they collect from outside programs.

Myth Busted - Factual Information –The salaries of the community education staff are not based on how much money is collected from community education classes.  Salaries for all Dysart staff members, including community education, are based on the established district wide hiring practices and salary schedules.  The salary process used for community education is the same process utilized by all programs, departments and positions, regardless of the funding source (for example, community education fund, grant funds, etc.). The Community Education Department budget includes monies from community education classes, facilities rental, the before and after school student program and some of the summer school offerings.

Myth - March 2, 2009 – A rumor has begun that with the looming state budget situation, Dysart is considering a return to an outside, contracted bus company to run its transportation.

Myth Busted - Factual Information – The Dysart School District successfully took over operations of transportation last year.  While adjustments to the District’s current transportation program may be necessary in an effort to reduce costs, the District has no plans to return to contracted services.

Myth - February 26, 2009 – A myth is circulating that Dysart is canceling the shared facility agreement (IGA) with the City of Surprise.

Myth Busted - Factual Information – Dysart has been meeting with representatives from the City of Surprise to ensure that both groups work to meet the needs of the community through the IGA.  The meetings, which began in 2008, have focused upon ensuring that Dysart and the City of Surprise fully understand the intent of the IGA and its components.  The original intent of the IGA is to provide community-based schools throughout Dysart.  The Dysart School District’s desire is to see that the use of all of its buildings is maximized to meet the needs of the community.  Meetings between the City and Dysart on a variety of topics are continuing to make certain that each party fully meets the needs of the community.